Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has sensationally hit out at Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner and alleges that he did not show support for his wife Susie Wolff when she was placed under FIA investigation last year.
Both the former Williams test driver, who is now in charge of the F1 Academy series for female drivers, and her husband were placed under investigation by the FIA in December over allegations relating to conflict of interest that had been made against them.
All nine other F1 teams each posted statements on social media confirming that they had not made the allegation against the Wolffs.
Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff pictured (Image: Getty)
The investigation was believed to relate to an allegation that her relationship with her husband presented a conflict of interest in the sport.
The FIA dropped the probe 48 hours later and stated that they were ‘satisfied that FOM’s compliance management is robust enough to prevent any unauthorised disclosure of confidential information‘.
In March, Susie – who rejected the allegations ‘in the strongest possible terms’ – launched legal action against the FIA, filing what she described as ‘a criminal complaint in the French courts in relation to the statements made about me by the FIA last December’.
She added: “There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter.”
She previously called the allegations ‘intimidatory and misogynistic’.
Now, Mercedes chief Wolff has claimed that team principals from other teams were prepared to sign a document in support of his wife. He alleges that the only exception at first was Horner – who eventually did sign it.
He told The Guardian: “The response was great. I didn’t make a single phone call to any team. Fred [Vasseur, Ferrari team principal] took it into his hands and said, ‘This is just unfair’. Guenther Steiner [Haas team principal in 2023] to James Vowles [current Williams team principal], everybody jumped on this.
“They were all ready, but for Christian, to sign a document in our support.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner pictured (Image: Getty)
“As far as I understand it, he [Horner] said: ‘I’m having my own Sky interview and I’m going to say I’m not part of it. I’m not signing the document’.
“The other nine teams said, ‘Fine’. But obviously he was advised that wouldn’t look great.
“In the second iteration [of the statement], he tried to get the word ‘official’ in the statement. He wanted a note to say that no-one [among the team principals] officially complained to the FIA. The other teams said: ‘Fine. We do our declaration and you do your own’.
“In the end, he signed it.”
Wolff then continued: “No [he won’t talk to Horner about the issue]. I don’t think you can rely on what he says.
“I think [Susie] was collateral damage and lots of it was out of disrespect for her achievements as a female racing driver and as a contributor to change.
“It was also trying to cause s**t to me by disrespecting my wife, diminishing the painful journey she went through to achieve what she did in and outside the car.”
SPORTbible has contacted Red Bull Racing and its parent company, Red Bull, for comment.