by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says he is considering suing the FIA following the now-abandoned investigation into his relationship with his wife, F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff.
Susie Wolff, meanwhile, launched a scathing attack on the motoring world’s governing body on a high-profile day on Friday after what she called a “misleading and baseless campaign” against them.
The FIA announced on Tuesday that it had launched an investigation into an “F1 team principal” and a “member of FOM”. He did not specify who he was referring to but it seems certain outlets were aware before the FIA’s statement dropped that he referred to Toto and Susie Wolff.
That investigation was quickly abandoned on Thursday after nine Mercedes rivals issued identical statements denying they had made “any formal complaint” about a potential conflict of interest in the relationship. The FIA said it was satisfied that F1’s safeguards were strong enough to prevent any unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. However, the damage has already been done.
Neither Mercedes, F1 nor Susie Wolff received any advance warning from the FIA that it was about to refer their relationship to its compliance department, prompting them to wonder where the matter came from and why.
The FIA said in a statement on Tuesday that it was acting on “media speculation” regarding “alleged information of a confidential nature being forwarded to an F1 team principal by a member of FOM staff”.
This was apparently a reference to a recent article in BusinessF1 magazine which suggested that Wolff’s statement at a recent team principals meeting acted as a trigger for other team principals to complain about a potential conflict of interest .
However, after nine Mercedes rivals published the same statement on Wednesday denying they had made “any complaint”, intrigue grew as to why the FIA escalated the matter to such an extent, with friction in the Wolff relationship with the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben. Sulayem is seen as one apparent possibility.
Ben Sulayem took over at the end of the season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December 2021 when Lewis Hamilton was denied an eighth ever world title after race director Michael Masi applied the car safety rules to wrong Since then they have had a strained relationship, with the team suspicious that the FIA president has tried to encourage them, for example with his recent comments to Masi – who was sacked last year after being judged to have he “man”. error” – another job should a suitable role arise.
“A few days ago the President (Mohammed Ben Sulayem) fell ill and suffered a fall and concussion. He received hospital care and will make a full recovery,” an FIA statement announced on Friday afternoon.
Susie Wolff: ‘I won’t let myself be intimidated’
In a statement issued by Mercedes on Friday, Toto Wolff said: “We understand that there is significant media interest in this week’s events. We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA. We await full transparency as to what happened and why, and we expressly reserve all legal rights. So we ask that you understand that we will not be commenting officially at this time, but we will certainly address the matter in due course.”
Susie Wolff, who had already described the allegations as “intimidating and misogynistic”, was more accurate, describing the way the FIA had climbed down from its original position as unacceptable.
“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday afternoon, my first reaction was: “Is that it?” she wrote on Instagram. “For the past two days, my integrity has been talked about publicly and through background briefings, but no one from the FIA has spoken to me directly.
“I may have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on someone else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I worked too hard to ruin my reputation question at a press release without foundation.
“We have come a long way as a sport. I was extremely grateful for the united support of the Formula One teams. I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the best interests of our sport at heart.
“However, this incident has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and I intend to follow up until I find out who started this campaign and misled the media.
“What happened this week is not good enough. As a sport, we have to demand better, and we deserve it.”
The annual FIA gala will take place in Baku on Friday. Toto Wolff did not plan to attend, although seven-time world champion Hamilton is required, after finishing third in the drivers’ championship.
Speaking at the event, Hamilton said: “It’s disappointing to see that the governing body of our sport has tried to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we’ve ever had in our sport in Susie Wolff without question and without any evidence. It is unacceptable.”
It is unclear whether Ben Sulayem will address the controversy.
