Jean Todt: Sport Is a Catalyst for Progress

The 5th FIA Annual Conference, dedicated to the development of transport, opened in Geneva on June 20. This year’s theme carries the title “Progress and Its Path: Navigating a Decade of Transformation Together.”

“I’m glad to see so many delegates gathered here in Geneva for this motorsport conference,” FIA President Jean Todt said as he opened the forum. “The world is changing at an ever-faster pace. Motorsport now faces the challenge of embracing new values, and the need to treat our planet’s resources with care is becoming more urgent by the day.

Sport acts as a catalyst for progress. The technical approaches we’ve developed and applied in our world championships, whether in Formula 1 or the WEC, keep maturing over time. I’m convinced that the advances made in these racing series are paving the way for innovations that will shape hybrid vehicle development in the decades ahead.”

Following the Federation President’s opening remarks, the first session of the conference featured speeches from Chase Carey, CEO of the Formula One Group; Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes Motorsport; Carlos Sainz, two-time World Rally Champion; and Stefano Domenicali, head of Lamborghini and President of the FIA’s Single Seater Commission.

The conference will continue over the next two days, with many well-known figures from the world of motorsport set to speak, ranging from FIA staff to team engineers and drivers themselves.