FIA president Jean Todt has backed his former team, Ferrari, to bounce back in formula one.
Now in charge of the sport’s governing body, 68-year-old Frenchman Todt oversaw Ferrari’s revival from the slump of the mid-90s to the dizzying heights of the Michael Schumacher era.
Today, Ferrari is in another period of turmoil and slump, but as he attended this week the 110-year anniversary of Italy’s automobile club Aci, Todt backed the Maranello marque to bounce back.
Quoted by Corriere dello Sport, he said Ferrari is a "mythical brand, prestigious (and) part of the history of motor racing in Italy and the world".
So when asked if Ferrari will win again soon, Todt answered: "I hope so and I’m cheering for it."
He said Sergio Marchionne, having replaced Ferrari’s long-time president Luca di Montezemolo, is "a great leader and has proved it" by reviving Fiat and Chrysler.
Fiat chairman John Elkann, meanwhile, singled out Todt as a reference for Ferrari, as the Maranello team is "working hard to bring Ferrari back to where Jean Todt left us".