He was previously director of Peugeot Talbot Sport and then Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team principal, before being appointed chief executive officer of Ferrari from to During his time in charge at Ferrari, their teams won 13 Formula One World Championship titles drivers and manufacturers.
Also under Todt's leadership, Michael Schumacher won five consecutive World Drivers' Championships, from to , and 72 of his 91 victories. The young Todt was fascinated by motorsport and had special respect for drivers like Jim Clark and Dan Gurney.
Borrowing his parents' Mini Cooper to drive in rallies, he soon decided his greatest strength was as a co-driver. He first co-drove with Guy Chasseuil in and his talent for calculation, strategy and organisation quickly made him a sought-after navigator. At the same time, he was increasingly moving out from his role as a co-driver by participating in the management of the team and in relations with the FIA. He applied his abilities as an organiser and strategist to the creation of Peugeot Talbot Sport , which he set up to spearhead the firm's return to competition.
In , Todt adapted the Turbo 16 to off-road rallies with the aim of competing in the showcase Paris-Dakar Rally. He became the centre of attention in the Paris-Dakar when he tossed a coin to decide between his two drivers Ari Vatanen and Jacky Ickx to ensure that their rivalry would not lead to one of them quitting and costing the team victory.
From to , he oversaw four successive victories in the Paris-Dakar with Vatanen and Juha Kankkunen. In , at the age of 47, Todt's 12 years with Peugeot Talbot Sport came to an end. He was the first non-Italian since Marco Piccinini to head the Scuderia. His challenge was to lead Ferrari back to success at a time when the team was experiencing some of the worst days in its history.
