Todt to stand for re-election as motor racing chief

Jean Todt will stand for re-election as president of motor racing's ruling body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), he has confirmed. The 67-year-old Frenchman will stand against Briton David Ward, a former aide of ex president and compatriot Max Mosley, and will launch his campaign during the next month. Todt confirmed his intentions to journalists attending Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, ending speculation that he was prepared to stand aside. "There is no speculation: I will go for it. Clearly you have to respect the procedure. Yesterday (Friday) it was announced that campaigning for the election was opening. "All our community knows that I have a lot of support, and we have started something. It is like climbing a mountain. We try to climb up and up, but we are at 3000 metres. So there is still some way to go." Todt added that he was pleased by supportive comments made about his work since he succeeded Mosley by various Formula One team chiefs. "I must say I was very pleased to see yesterday some comments by the team principals," he said. "I have been reading in the press that the F1 community hated me, so if sometimes I feel a bit frustrated it is to read things which are not corresponding to the reality." Todt also told reporters that there were parts of his work as president that left him open to criticism, but said he was more comfortable to stay out of the media spotlight. "Sometimes I make mistakes, but I am a human being, and hopefully I do sometimes good things. It is not in my nature to have a very high profile, to be a dictator. "For me with harmony and consensus you get much better. It is my way of running, of leading... I will not get into controversy or react to what somebody has been saying or not saying. Honestly I am too old for that." Todt has been president of the FIA since October, 2009, following a career in motor sport management with Peugeot in world rallying and later, from 1992, with further huge success at Ferrari from 1993. Source: AFP