Formula 1 teams join forces for Toto and Susie Wolff
Suspected betrayal of secrets - motorsport couple Toto and Susie Wolff are facing a serious accusation. The FIA is investigating. But who is making the accusations? The Formula 1 teams are joining forces to fight back.
In an unusual move, all Formula 1 rivals of the Mercedes racing team have denied having triggered the investigation into team boss Toto Wolff and his wife Susie for betraying secrets. The nine other teams in motorsport's premier class published largely identical statements in which they assured the world governing body FIA that they had not lodged any complaints about a possible conflict of interest.
The FIA had previously caused a stir by announcing that it would investigate media reports that confidential information had been leaked to a Formula 1 team boss by an employee of the rights holder. The background to this is a report by a specialist portal about an alleged conflict of interest involving Wolff and his wife, who is employed by Formula 1 marketer FOM, about which other Formula 1 officials had allegedly complained to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
"We have a great rivalry on the track, but ... "
All teams have now denied this. All the racing teams also reaffirmed their support for the Formula 1 Academy and its Managing Director Susie Wolff. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also commented on the affair on Sky: "We have a great rivalry on the track, but we have not lodged any official complaint about Susie or Toto or Mercedes with the FIA." The case is a matter for the FIA, "who have decided to initiate a process."
Susie Wolff is doing "a great job", praised Horner, who also expressed his "respect" for Mercedes' performance and explained that the rival is "still an outstandingly strong team". In principle, the rivalry between the two Formula 1 racing teams "should be played out on the race track", emphasized Horner.
Susie Wolff suspects misogyny
Mercedes had already sharply rejected the accusations in the media report as unfounded on Tuesday evening. Susie Wolff wrote on social media: "It is disheartening that my integrity is being questioned in this way." The former racing driver suspects that the accusations are an attempt at intimidation and misogyny. The Formula 1 management stated: "We have full confidence that the allegations are false."
According to the media report, Susie Wolff is said to have had access to confidential knowledge from the top of the racing series at FOM and allegedly shared this with her husband. In return, Toto Wolff could have informed his wife about discussions between the team bosses, so that this information in turn reached the rights holder.
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Despite the intense rivalry between Red Bull Racing and Mercedes AMG in Formula 1, team principal Christian Horner made it clear that his team has not lodged any complaints against Toto and Susie Wolff with the FIA. He reiterated his support for Susie Wolff and praised her work, as well as expressing respect for Mercedes' performance, stating that the competition should be decided on the track.
Source: www.ntv.de
