Sri Lanka has great potential as a possible future motor sport venue but at present efforts should be focused on grassroots development, according to the President of the Federation Internationale de l’ Automobile (FIA), Jean Todt.

Jean Todt with his wife Michelle Yeoh - Pic by Sanka Vidanagama.

The chief of motor sport’s governing body, who was paying a brief visit to Sri Lanka, said that special emphasis had to be paid to activities such as Go Karting which provide talented drivers with a steady racing foundation.

Nevertheless he did express optimism about Sri Lanka’s possibility of hosting an international racing event in the not too distant future, saying that the island was blessed with beautiful landscape and good road facilities.

As part of Mr. Todt’s visit here he also partook in a special vintage car rally, entitled ‘Wheels on Parade’, which was organized by the Automobile Association and the Ceylon Motor Sports Club, to mark his visit.

The Frenchman is one of the most preeminent personalities in the world of motor car racing, famous for heading Ferrari’s racing division, Scuderia Ferrari, during the height of its Formula One dominance. Mr. Todt himself was a very competent racer, and competed from 1966 until 1981 before retiring. In 2005 he rose to the post of CEO of Ferrari, before eventually being elected as the President of FIA in October 2009.