Red Bull deny official complaint amidst F1 academy scandal involving Susie Wolff and Toto Wolff
- Rob Fleming
- 7 December 2023
Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, has refuted claims of filing a formal complaint with the FIA against Susie Wolff and Toto Wolff over alleged sharing of confidential information.
Business F1 magazine reported concerns among team principals that Toto Wolff might be benefiting from undisclosed insights via his wife, Susie Wolff, the F1 Academy managing director.
Susie Wolff, appointed in March, directly reports to F1 President Stefano Domenicali. The FIA's compliance department is investigating, and Susie Wolff vehemently denied the allegations, expressing deep insult.
Horner clarified Red Bull's stance on Sky Sports News, stating, "We haven't raised any official complaint, either about Susie or Toto or Mercedes to the FIA." He emphasized Red Bull's active involvement with the Academy and praised Susie Wolff's contribution.
Addressing the wider Red Bull organization, Horner asserted, "We have not raised any official complaint or made any requests to the FIA or Formula One Management." He highlighted Red Bull's collaboration with Susie Wolff and their plan to enter three cars in the Academy for 2024.
Other F1 teams distanced themselves from the reported allegations. Ferrari confirmed no complaint to the FIA, expressing support for the F1 Academy. McLaren, Williams, and Haas rejected involvement. Mercedes released a statement wholly rejecting the allegations.
Formula One, in a statement, expressed "complete confidence" in the allegations being wrong, citing robust processes to ensure information segregation. They cautioned against baseless allegations, emphasizing responsible disclosure. The FIA's inquiry into the matter is ongoing.
