The FIA’s admission it is investigating a potential leak of confidential information has provoked strongly-worded rejections from Formula 1 and Mercedes.
Reports elsewhere claimed Mercedes’ team principal and the managing director of F1 Academy – husband and wife Toto and Susie Wolff respectively – were the recipients of the information. However all three parties have issued statements denying the claims.
An FIA spokesperson announced on Tuesday its Compliance Department was investigating a report a Formula 1 team principal received confidential information from a member of Formula One Management. It did not identify the person involved.
However Mercedes claimed an “off-record briefing… has linked it to the team principal of Mercedes-AMG F1.”
FOM added it was “confident that no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal.”
In a social media post, Susie Wolff said she was the subject of “baseless allegations” which “seem to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour.”
In its original statement, the FIA stated it “is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel.”
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“The FIA Compliance Department is looking in to the matter,” it added.
FOM indicated its frustration the FIA had made the story public and insisted it was not correct.
“We note the public statement made by the FIA this evening that was not shared with us in advance,” it said in a statement. “We have complete confidence that the allegations are wrong, and we have robust processes and procedures that ensure the segregation of information and responsibilities in the event of any potential conflict of interest.
“We are confident that no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal and would caution anyone against making imprudent and serious allegations without substance.”
Mercedes said it had received no communication from the FIA’s Compliance Department regarding any investigation, and claimed the subsequent media coverage of the story had cast aspersions on Wolff.
“We note the generic statement from the FIA this evening, which responds to unsubstantiated allegations from a single media outlet, and the off-record briefing which has linked it to the team principal of Mercedes-AMG F1,” said Mercedes’ statement.
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