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Lewis Hamilton chose the FIA’s own prize-giving gala to launch a critical attack against motorsport’s world governing body for its handling this week of the tumult that has swirled around Toto and Susie Wolff.
The seven-time F1 champion accused “certain individuals within the leadership of the FIA” of stymying progress when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and feels that “change” is the only way forward.
Hamilton did not state specifically who he was referring to concerning the FIA leadership, but it is known president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has had to defend himself following the emergence during his tenure of a historic website that appeared to suggest he had made misogynistic remarks.
In her role as managing director of the F1 Academy, and following accusations of providing husband and Mercedes team principal Toto with inside information, Susie Wolff accused the FIA of “intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour”.
That followed an FIA decision, via its Compliance Department, to look into “an allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel”, with the Wolffs at the centre of the storm.
Vehement denials followed from F1, Mercedes, and Susie Wolff, before the nine remaining teams issued a joint statement making clear they had not made any complaint about collusion between the Wolffs despite suggestions to the contrary.
After the FIA determined on Thursday there was no case to answer, Mercedes is now seeing what legal avenues are available after calling for transparency.
Attending a press conference in Baku, after finishing third in this season’s F1 drivers’ championship and ahead of the FIA Prize Giving ceremony, unprompted, Hamilton turned on the FIA.
Asked simply about being in attendance after missing the last two ceremonies – finishing sixth last season and boycotting the event the year before following the controversy surrounding his title defeat to Max Verstappen – Hamilton initially criticised the FIA for holding the event in Baku.
“Whilst I like Baku, it’s a beautiful place, (I have) questions in my mind of whether the FIA is thinking about sustainability because so many people flew out here when the FIA (headquarters) is in Paris,” said Hamilton. “It would have just been easy to have done it there.”
Hamilton then segwayed into the Wolff furore, stating: “It’s been a challenging week, a disappointing week to see that the governing body of our sport has sought to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we’ve ever had in our sport, with Susie Wolff, without questioning, without any evidence, and then just saying sorry at the end, that’s just unacceptable.
“We’ve got a lot of great people within the sport that are doing amazing work. There is a constant fight to really improve diversity and inclusion within the industry, but it seems there are certain individuals, within the leadership of the FIA, that every time we try and make a step forward, they’re trying to pull us back, and that has to change.
“This is a global sport, and we have such an incredible opportunity, and an actual responsibility to be leaders of change.
“And as we’re travelling to all those countries around the world, we have a responsibility to make sure that we push it in the right direction.
“I do want to acknowledge that there are a lot of good people out there doing great work, but we need to make some changes to make sure that we’re all pushing in the right direction.”
Ben Sulayem was due to conduct a press conference of his own before this year’s champions across the various categories were interviewed.
He opted to withdraw, however, as he “took ill and suffered a fall and concussion”, according to the FIA, earlier this week. Ben Sulayem was still on hand for the ceremony itself.
