FIA president unopposed for third term

FIA president Jean Todt is poised to be re-elected for a third term in charge of the Formula One governing body after the organisation did not receive any opposing applications for the post which the Frenchman has held over two terms from 2009.

Todt took over presidential duties in 2009 to replace Max Mosley and also won re-election in 2009. He informed the media of his intention to stay on for a third term back in May of this year.

In order for someone to have challenged Todt, a rival application had to be submitted by November 17th, but as this date passed with not a single challenger expressing an interest in the role, the 71-year-old will win the election as a formality and be in power until 2021.

The FIA General Assembly will meet in Paris at the start of December to confirm Todt's continuation as president, something he said himself came about due to pressure and support from others who wanted him to go for re-election.

"A lot of people who voted for me are pushing me to go for another mandate," he said when announcing his application in May.

"It is very important, because if I had a lot of resistance not to go for the election, my decision would be much easier, because I would then decide that I will go."

FIA rules state that a president cannot stay in power for longer than three terms, so this will be Todt's last as president. However, with regards to Formula One affairs it will be a tumultuous time in his last period in office with Liberty Media's F1 engine changes coming in for the 2018 season, while team contracts expire in 2020.