F1 Academy boss Susie Wolff has demanded to know who “misled the media” and prompted a brief investigation into the integrity of her and husband Mercedes principal Toto Wolff.
On Tuesday, the governing FIA announced it had opened an ethics investigation into a potential conflict of interest between Wolff and her husband.
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A report by Tom Rubython in F1 Business suggested at least one rival team boss had raised concerns to the FIA when Toto said something in a meeting which, it was alleged in the article, could have only come from someone with close links to F1 management.
With the original report and the FIA’s decision to publicly investigate opening the Wolffs up to questions around integrity, Susie announced on Friday she intends to pursue the matter until she has answers.
“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?'” Susie Wolff wrote on X.
“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 1 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.
“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.”
The handling of the matter raises huge questions for the FIA and whether it simply launched an investigation on the basis of one article.
As part of her role with F1 Academy, Susie reports directly to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali.
The FIA investigation prompted a wave of counter statements, first from Wolff and Mercedes denying the accusation, then from all nine other teams distancing themselves from the investigation and saying they had not raised a complaint.
That was followed on Thursday by the FIA confirming in a statement it was no longer looking into the matter, just days after the matter was first opened.
Toto Wolff also released a statement via Mercedes, saying: “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 took 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.”