Motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, announced on Tuesday that it was investigating allegations of a conflict of interest between Mercedes-Benz team principal Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie Wolff, who is the managing director of the new F1 Academy. While the FIA did not name any individuals in its statement, many media outlets have identified the Wolffs as the subject of the investigation.
Susie Wolff has now responded to the allegations, insisting that there is no conflict of interest and that she has always acted in the best interests of the sport.
In response to allegations from some team principals that Mercedes-Benz team principal Toto Wolff has access to confidential information not shared with them, Susie Wolff, the managing director of the F1 Academy and Wolff’s wife, has taken to social media to strongly deny the claims.
Wolff expressed her deep offense at the insinuation that her integrity is compromised, suggesting that the claims are rooted in misogyny and focused on her marital status rather than her abilities. She added that she is “disappointed but unsurprised” by the allegations.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, all nine other F1 teams denied having made any complaints to the FIA regarding Toto Wolff and the alleged sharing of confidential information between an F1 team principal and a member of FOM staff.
The teams added that they were pleased and proud to support the F1 Academy and its managing director, Susie Wolff, through their sponsorship of an entrant for the upcoming season. Liberty Media, the parent company of F1, also released a statement saying that the FIA’s public statement had not been shared with them in advance and that they had complete confidence that the allegations were unfounded.
