Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Jean Todt has wished Ferrari well in their quest to win an F1 title in 2026, yet there is one thing that he refuses to say when talking about the Scuderia under Fred Vasseur.
Todt remains the last person to steer Ferrari to the top of the F1 drivers’ championship, after guiding the Scuderia alongside Ross Brawn to six titles. The pride of Italy also lifted a total of seven constructors’ titles under Todt’s watch as their general manager from 1994 until 2007.
Ferrari are today still seeking their first drivers’ title since Todt left, with Kimi Raikkonen back in 2007 the most recent racer to win a championship in red. The Scuderia have also not won the constructors’ title since 2008 after Stefano Domenicali replaced Todt at the Ferrari helm.
Domenicali remained at Ferrari’s helm through 2014, before the Italian (who today serves as the CEO of F1) was briefly replaced by Marco Mattiacci. Maurizio Arrivabene (2015 to 2018), Mattia Binotto (2019-22) and Vasseur (2022-present) have since tried to end Ferrari’s wait.
What’s the BIGGEST reason for Ferrari’s F1 title drought?
It's now approaching 20 years
Jean Todt refuses to compare Fred Vasseur’s Ferrari to his dominant team from the 2000s
Charles Leclerc in 2022 was the last person to come close to winning Ferrari’s first title since Raikkonen, when he finished a distant 146 points behind Max Verstappen in second after an early assault. Lewis Hamilton is currently second in the 2026 standings, but he already faces a 66-point deficit to Mercedes gem Andrea Kimi Antonelli after the first six out of 22 rounds.
READ MORE: Who is Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur? Everything you need to know
Vasseur has changed the mindset at Ferrari this season and welcomes risk-taking in their bid to bring a title back to Maranello. Recently, Vasseur admitted he was “shocked” by Ferrari’s caution when he took over from Binotto in December 2022 as they were “on the back foot”.
Todt refuses to discuss how Vasseur’s Ferrari today compares to the team he built from the ashes of failure into F1’s dominant force. The only thing that Todt will say about the Ferrari team of 2026 is that he wishes them well, knowing full well how tough it is at the Scuderia.
“I prefer not to talk about it, because there’s no point in making comparisons,” Todt has told Gazzetta dello Sport. “The only thing I want to say is that I wish, and will always wish, Ferrari all the best.
“Here in the paddock, as I walked past their hospitality area, I noticed a few members of the team who smiled at me as soon as they saw me. It’s special for me to have been able to contribute to this great story.
“Working at Ferrari has been the most significant chapter of my career. I spent 16 years of my life working hard – sometimes as many as 16 hours a day – without ever missing a single day. It was hard work, but the rewards were unforgettable.
“Ferrari are in a league of their own. Winning with the Prancing Horse is perhaps more difficult, but certainly more rewarding.”
Jean Todt takes great satisfaction that former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali is F1’s CEO
Are we seeing proof that Lewis Hamilton is transforming Ferrari like Michael Schumacher did?
Todt took over a Ferrari team that had not won the F1 drivers’ championship since 1979, but he, Brawn and Michael Schumacher transformed the Scuderia into the dominant force. After enduring a long drought, Schumacher won Ferrari the F1 title every year from 2000 to 2004.
Ferrari also won every constructors’ title from 1999 to 2004, and again in 2007 and 2008, to boast the all-time record tally of 16 titles to date. And Todt says one of the proudest aspects of Ferrari’s success is that so many of those who worked there now have leading roles in F1.
Todt added: “So many things, starting with the fact that I helped a major team like Ferrari return to winning ways. And then, of course, seeing so many of the young people who worked with me go on to hold key positions in Formula 1 today.
“Seeing Stefano Domenicali at the helm of F1 is a source of incredible pride, as is Laurent Mekies leading Red Bull, Mattia Binotto at Audi and Andrea Stella at McLaren.
“I don’t take credit for their achievements, but I’m happy to have been part of their journey. Seeing them today, competitive and skilled in what they do, reminds me just how important the path we took together was.”
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
