After 12 years, Jean Todt to retire as FIA president

Mention the name Jean Todt to a motorsport enthusiast, and you'll hear various stories about the 75-year old Frenchman.

Some will say he is one of the best rally co-drivers thanks to his talent for calculation and strategies. Others might remember him for making Peugeot a household (rally) name when he led the Peugeot Talbot Sport from 1982 to 1993 in the WRC.

But most remember Todt as the person responsible for bringing the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team back to winning form when he became the General Manager from 1994 to 2007. Apart from being the first non-Italian to lead the team, he recruited Michael Schumacher to race for Ferrari. This led to the team winning five consecutive world championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Todt was also appointed as CEO of Ferrari itself in June 2004 alongside his title of GM of the brand's racing division. In January 2008, he handed the reigns to Stefano Domenicali, who officially succeeded him. However, he remained a member of the board of Ferrari before resigning from the Prancing Horse in March 2009.

After he departed from Ferrari, Todt expressed interest in becoming president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in July 2009. Outgoing FIA president Max Mosley even supported Todt's bid to become president by not standing for re-election.

Come October 23, 2009, Todt was elected president of the FIA, gaining a total of 135 votes versus rally legend Ari Vatanen who only received 49 votes. He was again re-elected for a second four-year term on December 6, 2013, and for another time for a third four-year term on December 8, 2017.

But after leading for 12 years, Jean Todt is set to retire as president of the FIA. While some might not have agreed with his decisions under his tenure, Todt was able to steer the federation in making racing safer for drivers.

Some might say he resigned from his post due to the Abu Dhabi controversy. In reality, Todt just reached the end of his term as FIA president. Remember, he served three consecutive terms as the federation's boss.

With Todt ready to leave his post in the FIA, his friends and colleagues in the motorsport wish him all the best after he retires. Check out the video and see Ross Brawn, Stefano Domenicali, Felipe Massa, and even his son Nicolas Todt share tribute messages.

Good luck with your future endeavors Monsieur Todt.