BRUSSELS, Belgium -Jean Todt has ruled out banning alcohol sponsorship for Formula 1 teams - smoking, it seems, is verboten but punting alcohol is fine.
Yet nobody has been killed by smoking then driving.
During the 2015 Monaco GP in May, a European alcohol policy group, Eurocare, said the amount of alcohol-related exposure in the sport was "extreme".
BAN ALCOHOL ADS?
The group declared: "We urge the involved bodies in F1 to move away from alcohol sponsorship."
• Williams' major sponsor is Martini, a brand of Italian vermouth.
• Force India livery features United Breweries Group branding.
• McLaren is backed by Johnnie Walker, F1's 'official whisky'.
Below are some tweets by teams showing alcohol-related branding at the 2015 Monaco GP. /cont. below images
Some mega VIPs join us in the garage this morning for a photo-call with a twist. Loving @Caradelevingne's overalls. pic.twitter.com/zjVlD3KN1a
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 24, 2015
Spot which one of our crew members always remembers to strike a good pose for the cameras! #MonacoGP #PicOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/MRQYW23x6l
— Sahara Force India (@ForceIndiaF1) May 27, 2015
However International Motoring Federation president Todt told Australian broadcaster ABC that he could not ban alcohol advertising in F1.
He told an international transport forum in Germany: "The use of advertising for alcohol is not linked to the federation. It's linked to each singular country. I'm completely against, advocating against, drinking and driving but each country needs to make his own job.
"You cannot ban alcohol - it's not possible. You can educate people not to drink and drive and what I'm urging alcohol companies to do is to participate in funding to educate people."
He acknowledged, however, that the subject should be addressed.
Italy's Autosprint has reported that a sector of the European Union relating to advertising is preparing a dossier proposing that the federation abolish alcohol branding.