Ecclestone attacks FIA chief Todt

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has ridiculed FIA president Jean Todt and believes motor sport’s governing body is a “joke” organisation.

In an interview with the Daily Express, Ecclestone said he had been unimpressed with Todt since he took over as FIA president in October 2009 following the departure of Max Mosley.

“Jean Todt is a poor man’s Max,” Ecclestone said. “He has been travelling around the world doing what Max didn’t do too much – kissing the babies and shaking the hands.

“It is probably good for the FIA, but we don’t need it in Formula One.”

Ecclestone added that Todt has “not so much had a positive effect on Formula One” and believes that the teams rather than the FIA should make the rules.

“We should write the rules, give them to the FIA and they should make sure they are followed,” Ecclestone said.

“It should be like the police – the police don’t write the rules and say you’ve got to do 30 miles an hour. The FIA is a joke.”