Toto Wolff believes that his wife Susie Wolff’s legal action against the Formula 1 governing body will make the sport more transparent by bringing it “into the real world.”
The boss of the Mercedes F1 team is in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix this week. Susie Wolff, who directs the all-female junior racing series F1 Academy, didn’t join him for the third race of the season after announcing on Wednesday that she had filed a legal complaint on March 4 in a French court “regarding statements made against me” by the FIA.
Last December, the Wolffs were under investigation by the FIA to see if they shared confidential information. This came after allegations of a conflict of interest in BusinessF1 magazine. However, the investigation was closed within 48 hours by the FIA after the other nine teams denied making the complaint that initiated it.
“Susie is a strong woman. She sticks to her beliefs and values,” Wolff said in a TV interview after the first two practice sessions in Melbourne. “She feels something was wrong, and she wants the court to hear her out.”
Before the Australian race, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton criticized the FIA for lack of transparency in governance and supported Susie Wolff’s legal action. McLaren’s Zak Brown also praised Susie Wolff’s bravery, calling her one of the most respected people in motorsport.
The confirmation of the legal complaint in the French court came after the FIA’s Ethics Committee cleared its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, of any wrongdoing at two F1 events last year. Another off-track issue involved Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, which is leading the series.
Toto Wolff highlighted the recent focus on lack of transparency in the sport and emphasized the need for openness in all areas. He believes that such matters should not be ignored and that F1 needs to address them, even if it means taking them beyond the confines of the sport and into the real world.
