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Susie Wolff has issued a statement angrily refuting claims of a conflict of interest over information allegedly shared with her husband, Toto.
As managing director of F1 Academy, Wolff is privy to confidential information from Liberty Media, Formula 1’s commercial rights holder.
Her husband, Toto, is the team principal and one-third owner of the Mercedes F1 team.
A magazine article has alleged Toto Wolff shared information at a recent meeting of the Formula 1 team principals that could have only come from someone with inside knowledge of Formula One Management.
On Tuesday evening, the FIA issued a statement acknowledging the allegation and revealing the FIA Compliance Department was investigating.
That was followed by a statement from F1 itself, which rejected the suggestion that one of its staff had leaked confidential information.
Given that Toto Wolff shared the information, attention has centred on Susie.
“I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening,” she declared.
“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.
“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.”
The Mercedes F1 team has also issued a statement in defence of its team boss, noting the situation has arisen from “unsubstantiated allegations from a single media outlet.”
Susie Wolff has been involved with motorsport since childhood, reaching the verge of F1 as a driver – she drove in two practice sessions for Williams during the 2014 F1 season.
Since stepping out of the driver’s seat, she has remained involved with the sport, working as team principal of the Venturi Formula E team from 2018 until 2022.
She also founded Dare to Be Different, a nonprofit designed to increase the participation of females across all aspects of motorsport.
In March, she was announced as managing director of F1 Academy, an appointment in line with her Date to Be Different goals.
