(Paris) The organization that oversees Formula 1 has closed its investigation into a possible conflict of interest between Mercedes team director Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, who works within the management of the premier series of sports car.
The compliance department of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) was investigating the Wolff family following allegations of a conflict of interest, namely whether they had exchanged confidential information.
“The FIA can confirm that there are no ongoing investigations in terms of an ethics or disciplinary investigation involving any individual,” the organization said in a statement released on Thursday.
On Wednesday, nine F1 teams published an identical statement to deny that they had complained to the FIA about a possible conflict of interest between Toto Wolff and his wife.
The series of statements followed Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s public appearance on Sky Sports on Wednesday, during which he indicated that the Austrian team, the three-time reigning series champions, would be at the origin of the request for an investigation to be launched.
“We are on-track rivals, but we have not made any formal complaints against Susie, Toto or Mercedes to the FIA,” said Horner, who added that Red Bull worked closely with Susie Wolff in her role as race director. F1 Academy, which is reserved for female drivers.
“Like everyone else, we were surprised by the (FIA) statement, but Red Bull is obviously not the source of this complaint,” Horner said.
The other nine teams in the grid attempted to distance themselves from the request for an investigation into the Wolff family, simultaneously issuing virtually identical statements.
On Tuesday, the FIA said it was investigating the Wolff family following allegations of a conflict of interest, as Toto and Susie Wolff may have shared confidential information. The FIA admitted that it was “aware of the rumors circulating in the media” on this subject, and clarified that its compliance department was “investigating this”.
