Jul.21 (GMM) The battle to succeed Max Mosley is hotting up, after Ari Vatanen on Monday accused fellow presidential candidate Jean Todt of receiving favouritism in the form of FIA funding.
Independent contender Vatanen, who is taking on incumbent Mosley's preferred heir Todt in the late October election, said the Frenchman flies around the world "with his girlfriend" in a "private plane"."In fact, he is doing a campaign totally supported and paid (for by the) FIA," the Finn added.A spokesman for Todt, the former Ferrari boss, told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper that the 63-year-old did not want to get involved in a war of words.But he did move to clarify former European Parliamentarian Vatanen's assertion that Todt and his partner Michelle Yeoh's work as global ambassadors for FIA campaigns are anything other than above board."As (Vatanan) is a trustee of the (FIA) foundation, it's unclear why Ari has misrepresented the campaign's achievements and Michelle's participation in this way," the spokesman said.The spokesman also denied that the couple's recent trip to Africa was "at the expense of the FIA".
