Secret affair

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Susie and Toto Wolff

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Following the furor surrounding investigations into alleged betrayal of secrets, the head of the female Formula 1 junior series, Susie Wolff, is taking legal action against the FIA. As the wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff announced on social media, she filed a criminal complaint with the French courts on March 4 regarding the FIA's statements about her last December.

"There is still no transparency or accountability for the behavior of the FIA and staff in this matter," the 41-year-old wrote. "I think it's more important than ever to stand up, denounce inappropriate behavior and make sure people are held accountable."

Alleged conflict of interest 
At the beginning of December last year, the FIA investigated media reports alleging that confidential information had been leaked to a Formula 1 team boss by an employee of the Formula 1 rights holder. The background to this was a report by a specialist portal about an alleged conflict of interest involving Toto Wolff and his wife, about which other Formula 1 officials allegedly complained to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

According to the report, Susie Wolff, who is employed by Formula 1 marketer FOM as Managing Director of the Formula 1 Academy, is said to have access to confidential knowledge from the top of the racing series and allegedly shared this with her husband. In return, Toto Wolff could have informed his wife about discussions between the team bosses, so that this information in turn reached the rights holder.

Intimidation and misogyny as motives?
Former racing driver Susie Wolff, who has been married to Austrian Toto Wolff since 2011, suggested that attempted intimidation and misogyny were the motives behind the allegations.

Susie Wolff

(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Rodrigo Varela)

Shortly after the investigation came to light, the nine other teams in motorsport's premier class published largely identical statements in which they assured the world governing body that they had not lodged any complaints about a possible conflict of interest.

The FIA closed the investigation just two days after it was published. The world governing body said that "appropriate safeguards are in place to mitigate potential conflicts". The association is also convinced that the FOM's compliance system is "robust enough to prevent unauthorized disclosure of confidential information".

Hate on the net 
Susie Wolff then reported that she had been the victim of online hate. "I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to pursue the matter further once I have found out who instigated this campaign and misled the media," the Scot wrote at the time.