Jean Todt: « Ferrari had the best car in the championship but missed out on opportunities

Jean Todt gave some advice to the Scuderia Ferrari after the problems they encountered this year, not only with the car but also with the team management. The former boss of the FIA recommends that they “hang on” in the face of difficulties and sees the glass as half full: « Ferrari is doing very well. It seems to me that people are not fully aware of it. Ferrari is back to winning. I think almost everyone would like to see Ferrari win championships, not just a few races. We can hope for that next year, because this year, I don’t think it’s still possible, he said to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He thus reflected on his former team’s season, specifically pointing out strategic mistakes. At one point, Ferrari had the best car in the championship. Then, they missed certain opportunities, I’m thinking about the strategy, a safety car that came at the wrong time, reliability issues. We need to think about it to prevent it from happening again.

Because the 76-year-old Frenchman believes that nothing should be left to chance if one aims for victory. Excellence is needed at all levels. It is difficult to achieve, and even more difficult to maintain. It starts with excellence in the details. If you manage not to leave anything behind, all the ingredients are there to become champions. We cannot make the same mistakes twice, if that happens, something needs to be changed, declares Jean Todt, while Ferrari has made numerous mistakes this season, contributing to Charles Leclerc’s fall in the championship standings, despite a promising start to the year.

A Charles Leclerc whom he praises, considering him as a great champion, although he is missing something… Without being able to put his finger on it. “I hope he will have it soon,” he simply indicates.

A Max Verstappen in the image of Michael Schumacher?

Speaking of champions, Jean Todt touched on a possible comparison between Max Verstappen and his close friend Michael Schumacher. While he believes that both of them are determined and very aggressive on the track, he finds it impossible to judge the current champion on a personal level. “Michael, outside of the races, is a wonderful person. As for Max, I don’t know, I can’t say anything. Right now, I see him focused on the race, rightfully so.” Another common point between the two champions: being able to compete for the championship behind the wheel of superb cars. “Because to win, every driver, no matter how exceptional they may be, needs a competitive car,” he adds.

The Frenchman also expressed his opinion on the safety of F1, including the halo, which is particularly important to him. “There was a time when people went to races like they go to a bullfight: they wanted to see a driver, a man, injured. The drivers had helmets that not even a cyclist would wear today. When I was elected president of the FIA, I immediately put safety in the forefront. It’s not always easy because people are resistant to change. For example, Jean Todt thinks of the halo, which was initially rejected by some in the paddock. I asked the engineers, ‘Does this thing save drivers’ lives?’ Yes, they replied. So I imposed it. The only thing we can say is that we wasted time on this matter,” he concluded.