Assuming you’re serious? We’re selecting for this important role on appearances now? Come on. Short memories abound about Max’s not so presentable private life… it seems this particular political appointment is not subject to the same sensitivites as most.

Whilst I respect Todt’s brain and his savvy approach to this campaign, I remain suspicious because I feel he represents more of the same ‘old boys club’ at the FIA… Let’s get real for a minute – the FIA might hide behind the fact that it also represents the Caravan Club of Latvia but everyone knows where the true focus lies – International motorsport is what pays for plush Parisian offices and god-knows how many Jollies for the membership – so how about a candidate who will represent the fans first, and base their entire manefesto on adapting the sport for the fan’s benefit?

I know Mosley has his faults, but on the outside, he’s smart, clean cut and presentable. So is Vatenen. Typical politician material and what you need when represeting a powerful organisation. Todt on the other hand isn’t. To me he resembles Gwildor from the Masters Of The Universe film from 1987. Short, ugly and badly dressed. He belongs in overalls with a pair of headphones round his neck. I think FIA presidency is out of his league….

He brokered the ‘private deal’ between Ferrari and the FIA, a move that by its very nature is wholly underhanded and inherently unfair. Ferrari enjoyed a period of domination under this ‘private deal’ in which Berni says Ferrari received monetary and other ‘general’ help.

So one has to ask if Ferrari was winning because they were the best team, or were they winning via the ‘general’ help?

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Why do Ferrari themselves object to JT becoming the FIA president? What do they know?

Vatenen comes into the FIA with a clean record, no old connections or history, he is a much safer choice by any standards or logic, surely?

Can you explain why Todt was so uncremoniously dumped, and so publicly, by Ferrari? There’s a story there that really should have surfaced by now. The much touted ‘conflict of personalities’ just doesn’t wash. All personalities in the sport are in conflict.

Ferrari would appear to be violently against Todt as president. Could this be because of his oft repeated, even on this forum, propensity to bear a grudge?

Go on, James, let the cat out of the bag. You must know.

We know that he is a very ordered, disciplined, detail person, obsessively neat and tidy, and no doubt very demanding of high standards from his underlings. He is a workaholic and he probably achieves most of the, no doubt, lofty goals that he sets himself.

Where does he sit in terms of emotional connection with the common man and the fan in the stand? We know he took great joy from Michael’s successes and exhibited his passion on the podium many times. But does he have the best interests of F1 at heart? Is he committed to improving the show and the stocks of the poor old teams who have been right royally screwed by the commercial rights holder for many a good year? I guess that is mostly what the teams are concerned about since he is apparently good mates with Max and Max’s preferred choice to succeed him. That and the fact that Jean’s personality would probably lend itself to a similar dictatorial, hardline attitude to negotiation and laying down the law.

However his proposals that you’ve outlined above are definitely a panacea to the well-earned fears that we have about him and his leadership style. I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt since it appears he probably is the shoe-in for the top job…

I’m sure you know the man and his recent history much better than I do James so I would be interested to know what you think about how he would likely conduct himself in that position?

Have you written anything recently that examines this?