Did Toto Wolff, the manager of the Mercedes team, use the professional proximity between his wife Susie Wolff, general director of the F1 Academy, and the boss of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, his hierarchical superior, to obtain confidential information? This rumor is mentioned in an article in Business F1 magazine, which talks about pressure from other team managers on the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to clarify a situation which would amount to a conflict of ‘interests.
Without ever mentioning the Wolff couple, the FIA announced on Tuesday that it had “become aware of these speculations surrounding the allegation according to which confidential information was transmitted to an F1 team principal by a member of the staff of the FOM” (the company holding the commercial rights to F1, which oversees the F1 Academy) and that its “compliance department has taken up this matter”.
Mercedes “totally rejects these accusations”
“We take note of the press release published by the FIA which echoes unfounded allegations coming from a single media outlet. The team did not receive any information from the FIA Compliance Department on this subject and was very surprised to learn of the existence of this investigation through the media,” responded the Mercedes team via a press release. in which she “totally rejects these accusations (on) the integrity of (her) team manager”.
Susie Wolff reacted for her part by publishing a text on social networks which “refutes these allegations as strongly as possible. » “I am deeply insulted but unfortunately not surprised,” she wrote. It is disheartening that my integrity is being questioned in this way, which appears to be rooted in bullying and misogynistic behavior and centered on my marital status rather than my abilities. »
According to the Business F1 article picked up by Autosport, a comment made by Toto Wolff during a recent team principals’ meeting, based on information that could only have come from the FOM, would have served as a trigger point. Bosses would then have complained about leaks which would take place in both directions, with secret remarks from these bosses going back to the FOM and sensitive information from the FOM going back to Toto Wolff.
