The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has opened an investigation into Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and F1 Academy’s Managing Director Susie Wolff over “an alleged conflict of interest”.
The FIA has stated that the investigation is looking into the matter of whether or not Toto and Susie Wolff are sharing confidential information to the Formula One Management (FOM).
Reports have suggested that the couple is privy to confidential information about FOM activities. Several team principals raised concerns during a recent Formula One meeting, during which Toto allegedly made statements which he could have only known had he had information from the FOM.
Formula One, Susie and Mercedes have since released statements, denying the allegations.
The FIA released a statement on December 5, stating:
“The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel. The FIA Compliance Department is looking into the matter.“
Susie Wolff said:
“I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening. It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities. Throughout my career in motorsport, I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy.
“As a woman in this sport, I have faced my fair share of challenges but my commitment to breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations to succeed remains unwavering. In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations.“
The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team made the following statement:
“We note the generic statement from the FIA this evening, which responds to unsubstantiated allegations from a single media outlet, and the off-record briefing which has linked it to the team principal of Mercedes-AMG F1. The team has received no communication from the FIA Compliance Department on this topic and it was highly surprising to learn of the investigation through a media statement.
“We wholly reject the allegation in the statement and associated media coverage, which wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal. As a matter of course, we invite full, prompt, and transparent correspondence from the FIA Compliance Department regarding this investigation and its contents.“
Formula One released the following statement:
“We note the public statement made by the FIA this evening that was not shared with us in advance. We have complete confidence that the allegations are wrong, and we have robust processes and procedures that ensure the segregation of information and responsibilities in the event of any potential conflict of interest. We are confident that no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal and would caution anyone against making imprudent and serious allegations without substance.“
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