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Todt hits back at Ben Sulayem’s criticisms of his FIA leadership
After taking over from Todt in 2021, Ben Sulayem revealed that he inherited a deficit in the FIA’s budget, which he successfully cleared. He mentioned that the deficit was over $20 million and also had to deal with a court case regarding a patent dispute. In response, Todt stated that the deficit was a result of the COVID-19 crisis and emphasized that the overall finances of the FIA were much stronger at the end of his presidency. He cited the increase in reserves from 40 million euros to over 250 million euros, thanks to new competitions and income sources like Formula E and the World Endurance Championship. Todt also clarified that the Halo trial, the unfinished dispute, was well-documented and presented before he left. He mentioned that he wasn’t surprised by Ben Sulayem’s comments and stated that he never speaks ill of his successors.
