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F1: Todt Official Made ‘Threats’ For Vote
Supporters of Jean Todt's election campaign reportedly exerted pressure for votes ahead of the change of power at the head of F1's governing FIA Friday...
SPEED Staff / GMM  |  Posted October 19, 2009   GMM Newswire
Jean Todt is a candidate for the FIA presidency. The elections will be held Friday. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Supporters of Jean Todt's election campaign reportedly exerted pressure for votes ahead of the change of power at the head of F1's governing FIA Friday.

In a report in Britain's Mail on Sunday, a Ugandan motorsport official alleges that a representative of the 63-year-old Frenchman phoned and made "veiled threats" that he should drop his support for the independent candidate Ari Vatanen.

Jack Wavamunno, the president of the Ugandan motor racing club, said Todt's proposed FIA vice-president for sport Surinder Thatti said in one phone conversation that a sponsor was willing to pay an outstanding bill to the FIA.

"He said (the sponsor) could pay that, but only on the condition that I withdrew my candidacy and we gave our vote to his candidate, Todt," said Wavamunno.

Thatti denies even speaking with Wavamunno recently, but the Mail on Sunday said it has seen records proving at least that the phone calls were made in August and September.

Sir Jackie Stewart, a stalwart supporter of Vatanen and against the Max Mosley regime, called for an investigation.

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