08 December 2023 , 13:00
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Susie Wolff has hit out at the FIA, having been bombarded with personal abuse after F1’s governing body looked into unfounded allegations about her and her husband.
It was alleged earlier this week that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had an unfair advantage due to his relationship with his wife, who works as the managing director of the F1 Academy racing series. The Wolffs were backed by the nine other F1 teams and the FIA later released a statement which confirmed they had not launched an official investigation into a potential conflict of interest.
Susie Wolff had previously said she was “deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations” against her and has now released another statement in an attempt to draw a line underneath things. It read: “When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’. For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.
“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.
“We have come a long way as a sport. I was extremely thankful for the unified support of the Formula One teams. I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the very best interests of our sport at heart.
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“However, this episode has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media. What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”
Susie Wolff is the F1 Academy managing director (Getty Images)In a statement shared by Mercedes, Toto Wolff said: "We understand that there is significant media interest in the events of this week. We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA.
"We await full transparency about what place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights. Therefore we ask for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course."
A statement from the FIA on Thursday read: "Following a review of Formula One Management's F1 Code of Conduct and F1 Conflict of Interest Policy and confirmation that appropriate protective measures are in place to mitigate any potential conflicts, the FIA is satisfied that FOM's compliance management system is robust enough to prevent any unauthorised disclosure of confidential information.
"The FIA can confirm that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual. As the regulator, the FIA has a duty to maintain the integrity of global motorsport. The FIA reaffirms its commitment to integrity and fairness."