Why Jean Todt said no to Red Bull after Ferrari exit

Jean Todt has revealed Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz tried to persuade him to join the team when he left Ferrari, but at that point in his career, his interest was to “give something back”.

Instead, the Frenchman ran for the FIA presidency and was elected, serving three terms as the head of motorsport’s governing body.

Jean Todt rejected Red Bull approach from Dietrich Mateschitz

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Todt entered the world of Formula 1 in 1994 as the general manager of Scuderia Ferrari, recruited by Luca di Montezemolo.

A year later he persuaded double world champion Michael Schumacher to join the team, before hiring two of Schumacher’s former Benetton team members in designer guru Rory Byrne and technical director Ross Brawn.

And so Ferrari’s dream team was formed.

Ferrari won five world titles on the trot from 2000 to 2004, and six Constructors’ titled in the most dominant era Formula 1 had seen prior to Mercedes’ 2014 to 2020 success.

From CEO to then Special Advisor, Todt called time on his Ferrari career in March 2008 having decided that what he now wanted to do was give back to motorsport.

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Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz tried to convince him otherwise.

Todt has revealed Mateschitz, who passed away in 2022, twice visited the Frenchman at his home to pitch his idea for Todt to run the team.

At the time Christian Horner was in the team principal seat and Helmut Marko was the team’s advisor. Mateschitz, though, wanted Todt.

However, the Frenchman was done.

“I decided in 2008 that it was time to give something back,” Todt explained on the High Performance podcast. “My interest was to give something back.

“Incidentally, I remember when I left Ferrari, Dietrich Mateschitz wanted me to join, so he came to have lunch at home in Paris with me twice.

“To run the team and to run the motorsport activities of Red Bull. And I said no because for me, this chapter was over.

“I was running an iconic brand with success. So in a way, I could not do better, and I wanted to do other things. And it was time for me to give something back.”

Following his role within the FIA, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Todt the United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety with Todt today involved in several charities.

“It was a part of my life,” he continued, “and it’s still the part of my life where I want to give something back.

“In some worlds, when there is competitiveness, money, people forget that. That’s why it is important to travel to see poverty, to see people who don’t have access to medical care, people who don’t have access to public transportation, and to try to give a little hand.

“It would be very presumptuous to say that we are changing the world, but even giving a little, see the eyes of people who are in need, who smile, make people smile, it’s a win. It’s a different win, but I think it is very important.”

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