Todt: 'My conscience is clear' over Ferrari power unit investigation

Ferrari

Todt: 'My conscience is clear' over Ferrari power unit investigation

FIA president defends his handling of the 2019 FIA investigation into Ferrari's power unit

Sam Hall

Monday 15 June 2020 14:27

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FIA president Jean Todt has defended the handling of the investigation into Ferrari's 2019 power unit - the two parties having reached a confidential agreement.

Following the summer shutdown in 2019, Ferrari leapfrogged Mercedes at the front of Formula 1, enjoying success in Belgium, Italy and Singapore. As quickly as it appeared, Ferrari's pace disappeared when an FIA investigation was launched - speculation suggesting the Scuderia had found a way to trick the fuel-flow sensors.

Unable to prove foul-play, the FIA entered into a confidential agreement with Ferrari, whereby the team would escape punishment so long as they help the FIA in a number of technical areas.

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Todt, the former team principal of Ferrari and now the president of the FIA, was heavily criticised for the arrangement.

"The truth is that when I accepted this assignment I knew I had to take the positive and negative sides," Todt told Corriere dello Sport.

"My conscience is clear, for me it is important only to be transparent with the members of the FIA, ethics. The rest is part of my role, including the unpleasant rumours."

Asked if future incidents would be dealt with in the same manner, no matter what name sits atop the garage doors, Todt added: "Yes. It was managed with professionalism and transparency following the rules.

On many things I have to make decisions on the basis of what is suggested to me by those who give me the information, I don't act completely on my own."

At the start of pre-season testing, when the settlement was announced, all teams not running Ferrari power units issued a joint press release declaring their intention to protest the settlement should further details not be made public.

Since then, Mercedes have backed out of the protest, although there remains a chance that other teams could still challenge the decision ahead of the season opening Austrian Grand Prix.

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