F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff has hit out at the FIA, who released a shocking statement on Tuesday evening accusing her of sharing “confidential” information with her husband, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
The FIA released a statement on Tuesday evening without informing Formula 1 or Mercedes first, something which has infuriated both companies.
The statement made by the governing body revealed that they are set to investigate an “allegation” spread purely on social media, that Wolff has supposedly been giving Toto additional information.
One publication reported that team principals had been surprised to see that Toto knew of certain news before it was revealed in a meeting, raising concerns that he was gaining information from somewhere.
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Social media therefore accused Toto of getting the additional information from his wife, something they are now investigating.
“The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to a team principal from a member of FOM [Formula 1 Management] personnel,” the FIA stated.
“The FIA compliance department is looking into the matter.”
Wolff has released her own statement insisting that she’s “deeply insulted” of having been accused of giving away such serious information, with the FIA having essentially questioned her “integrity”.
She rejects all the allegations and has stated that the allegations demonstrate “intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour”, which Wolff has dealt with throughout her career.
In her statement, Wolff admitted that she’s “sadly unsurprised” at what the FIA are accusing her of, with their statement being directed at her and her husband despite not naming them specifically.
“I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening,” Wolff stated on social media.
“It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities.
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“Throughout my career in motorsport, I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles, and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy.
“As a woman in this sport, I have faced my fair share of challenges but my commitment to breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations to succeed remains unwavering. In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations.”
Wolff has received support from both F1 and Mercedes since releasing her statement.