Mercedes F1 Boss Toto Wolff In Trouble With The FIA
Giancarlo Perlas December 7, 2023The governing body of Formula 1, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), recently launched a probe for Mercedes F1 Principal and CEO Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie Wolff. The subject of the investigation centers on an alleged conflict of interest between the couple.
According to the Associated Press, the FIA’s decision to push through with the inquiry was due to complaints received from F1 teams. No names were mentioned in the announcement of the association but all nine teams have denied involvement in the cited protest.
The FIA said there were concerns that the Wolff couple had access to information normally not shared on the official channels of the F1 Academy and the Mercedes team. For context, Susie Wolff is currently the managing director of the F1 Academy, which is operated by the commercial rights holders of F1. And the organization is worried that she may be revealing confidential information to her husband, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff. Meanwhile, there were suggestions concerning Toto’s potential disclosure of team principal discussions to his wife, which can be useful to Formula One Management (FOM).
Of course, many fingers are quick to point to Christian Horner, given his history and past statements regarding Mercedes. However, the Red Bull Team Principal and CEO was quick to deny involvement in the move against the Wolff couple.
“We have a big rivalry on track, but we haven’t raised any official complaint about either Susie, or Toto or Mercedes to the FIA,” clarified Horner in an interview. He added that Red Bull is also working closely with Susie due to her role as the managing director of the academy’s all-female roster.
Ferrari and the rest of the constructors in F1 have released their statements regarding the issue, too. All of them had identical statements distancing themselves from the FIA’s latest actions.
