Vatanen denies 'dirty' campaign talk

FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen has rebuffed suggestions that he has employed dirty tricks in his campaign, as he outlined his plans to reform motor racing's governing body if he wins next week's election.

In the wake of rival Jean Todt accusing Vatanen of using 'personal attacks' and ‘false allegations', the former world rally champion has hit back with the suggestion that all he has done is outline areas where he thinks change is needed.

"Many people have contacted me and asked what it means when others are accusing my campaign to be dirty?" said Vatanen on Thursday.

"My answer is very simple: if I speak about change, democracy and transparency, it seems to be wrong and it is taken as a personal insult against all the people who have been involved with the FIA before these elections. It can be seen as an old school election tactics, but still amazing."

After Todt also said his rival had lacked detailed policies for reform, Vatanen has outlined his plans for bringing about change within the FIA if he is elected president.

"My first task would be to meet and thank all the people who had made this possible. I would meet the operative management of FIA straight after the meeting to give some guidelines for the coming weeks," he said.

"I would like to show leadership based on common values and build the reputation of the FIA to the level it deserves, defending our way of thinking and life in the mobility and sports world.

"I would invite a few people from an acknowledged international consultant agency to make a report of all the functions of the current FIA and of its structure including finances and administration. Then we would make the necessary decisions in the committee based on those reports and of course in accordance with the views of the committee members.

"We must make sure that the right people are in the right place within the organisation. This all takes a few months. My aim is light central management and administration which is effective but flexible and cost-saving, not one that just creates work for people and tries to centralize everything."

Vatanen has also talked about bringing closer co-operation with other organisations, especially on the sporting side, as well as bringing about a restructuring of the FIA's finances.

He added: "I hope that clubs and people who want to have a change give their votes to me and my team and then we can together start our way towards a new FIA, a federation which belongs to its members and serves them."