FIA president hopes India will host Formula E

FIA president Jean Todt was speaking on the sidelines of the FMSCI annual awards.

Published : Feb 25, 2019 23:44 IST , Mumbai

FIA president Jean Todt (File Photo).
FIA president Jean Todt (File Photo).
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FIA president Jean Todt (File Photo).

FIA president Jean Todt said he is open to seeing India host a Formula E race one day.

Speaking on the sidelines of FMSCI annual awards 2018, the Frenchman pointed out Mahindra Racing's impressive performances in Formula E - what he termed the baby of the motorsport world - and hoped to see a race in an Indian city.

Asked about the road ahead for Formula E, Todt said: “Formula E is doing very well, promoting safety, promoting environment and incidentally, one Indian team (Team Mahindra) is doing well in a new championship, in fact the baby of the FIA. I would be happy to see one race in a big Indian city. Races are held in 12 cities worldwide.”

Team Mahindra has managed three podium finishes in three races in the fifth season of FIA Formula E Championships and currently tops the team standings with 83 points.

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He was of the view that Formula E and Formula One have their distinct separate spaces but acknowledged an evolution in motoring. “Formula One is a different category (from FE). We all know motoring is changing. Evolution of cars is part of technology. There are good evolutions and bad evolutions. Bad evolutions are traffic and congestion, more cars on roads in the cities and traffic problem. So if you can encourage new technology using racing, it will be beneficial.”

Todt spoke about his stint as Ferrari CEO and how the F1 team, with F1 icon Michael Schumacher in the unit, got closer as circumstances got tougher.

“I am blessed to be involved with motorsport. As a young guy, I did not think that one day I will be asked to run Ferrari. It is not easy to seek continuity. I was lucky to have the energy to stay 16 years.

"The reason I left Ferrari was because I felt the chapter was ending. We achieved as much as we could.”

“The toughest part of my career was when things got difficult. Such situations builds very strong relationships with people.

"Michael [Schumacher] has been clearly very important in achieving the success, along with other team members. When we have had tough times, if you stick together, you will come out stronger. We stuck together and achieved something that had not been done.”

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