Toto Wolff accused of leaking/receiving confidential information

[littlebigcat]

Whether something was said in a meeting with the teams is irrelevant now. What is very much in play is the teams (and FOM/Liberty by proxy) gunning for leverage against the FIA

[TFSA]

Well the plot certainly thickens on this. As someone suggested a page or two ago, while there may be some legitimate concerns about this, or maybe even a sliver of truth to it, the way the original source was worded, i think BusinessF1 may have a lawsuit coming their way.

With that said....
Regarding the conflict of interest-bit
...i want to clear something up, because many people seem to misunderstand something about it.

Many people say that it will be hard to prove that Toto or Susie has passed along any information between them they weren't supposed to (this being unrelated to the cost-cap rumors about Toto letting that slip, since that was before Susie stepped into her current role). And that's true. In fact, they may not have passed anything between them at all. Some people are professional enough to not do that.

But conflict of interest cases are just as much about taking preventive measures, and ensure that "accidents" don't happen. It's similar to companies who have policies that prevent employees working the same shift or in the same department if they're dating. It doesn't mean they were doing anything wrong, or were planning to collude. It's simply a preventive measure, and also helps protect the employees against unreasonable accusations - which is kinda what we're seeing right now.

Now, F1 is indeed a small world, as some people have very excitedly posted pictures about a few pages back. It's hard to prevent friendships in the F1 world, and at the same time get people with the proper experience and knowledge in the right positions, when the pool of people in the business is so small. This means that in regards to conflicts of interest, everything has to be judged on a case by case basis, and other factors have to be taken into account, including how easy it will be to scrutineer or investigate any potential wrongdoing.

At some level, the way the F1 world works right now, these things/friendships will have to be accepted to a certain degree.

But i certainly think that there's potentially enough evidence here for the FIA to be justified in either an actual investigation, or at least an initial assesment. Whether it revovles around Toto and Susies positions, or the potential leaks of 2021, or something else, is another matter. It's kinda hard to tell without knowing what the FIA knows - because they certainly know more than we do.

Ultimately, with all the teams denying instigating anything, i think it's clear that none of them thinks Toto or Susie has done anything wrong. This may then lead all the way back to BusinessF1, which means they've just opened themself up to another lawsuit, because it seems very clear that their piece was, at the very least, greatly exaggerated.

[denyall]

Well the plot certainly thickens on this. As someone suggested a page or two ago, while there may be some legitimate concerns about this, or maybe even a sliver of truth to it, the way the original source was worded, i think BusinessF1 may have a lawsuit coming their way.

With that said....
Regarding the conflict of interest-bit
...i want to clear something up, because many people seem to misunderstand something about it.

Many people say that it will be hard to prove that Toto or Susie has passed along any information between them they weren't supposed to (this being unrelated to the cost-cap rumors about Toto letting that slip, since that was before Susie stepped into her current role). And that's true. In fact, they may not have passed anything between them at all. Some people are professional enough to not do that.

But conflict of interest cases are just as much about taking preventive measures, and ensure that "accidents" don't happen. It's similar to companies who have policies that prevent employees working the same shift or in the same department if they're dating. It doesn't mean they were doing anything wrong, or were planning to collude. It's simply a preventive measure, and also helps protect the employees against unreasonable accusations - which is kinda what we're seeing right now.

Now, F1 is indeed a small world, as some people have very excitedly posted pictures about a few pages back. It's hard to prevent friendships in the F1 world, and at the same time get people with the proper experience and knowledge in the right positions, when the pool of people in the business is so small. This means that in regards to conflicts of interest, everything has to be judged on a case by case basis, and other factors have to be taken into account, including how easy it will be to scrutineer or investigate any potential wrongdoing.

At some level, the way the F1 world works right now, these things/friendships will have to be accepted to a certain degree.

But i certainly think that there's potentially enough evidence here for the FIA to be justified in either an actual investigation, or at least an initial assesment. Whether it revovles around Toto and Susies positions, or the potential leaks of 2021, or something else, is another matter. It's kinda hard to tell without knowing what the FIA knows - because they certainly know more than we do.

Ultimately, with all the teams denying instigating anything, i think it's clear that none of them thinks Toto or Susie has done anything wrong. This may then lead all the way back to BusinessF1, which means they've just opened themself up to another lawsuit, because it seems very clear that their piece was, at the very least, greatly exaggerated.

Very well put IMO.

Conflicts exist in almost all businesses, especially in senior leadership. What's important is that they are disclosed and mitigated. FOM will have likely taken steps to insulate Susie from info that would be valuable to Toto, not because she isn't trustworthy, but because it's the correct thing to do.

[ValeVida46]

Conflicts exist in almost all businesses, especially in senior leadership. What's important is that they are disclosed and mitigated. FOM will have likely taken steps to insulate Susie from info that would be valuable to Toto, not because she isn't trustworthy, but because it's the correct thing to do.

The cross pollination of relevant information will be key.
What is Susie Wolff Privy to in her role at Formula academy bringing up young and talented female drivers?
And what is the conflict relevant to F1?

[TFSA]

The cross pollination of relevant information will be key.
What is Susie Wolff Privy to in her role at Formula academy bringing up young and talented female drivers?
And what is the conflict relevant to F1?

Sometimes, it's not about having access to information but having access to people with information. Insider gossip is also a potential concern. And the bigger a chain, the larger the chance of a weak link. Information can always sift through the cracks.

[ValeVida46]

The cross pollination of relevant information will be key.
What is Susie Wolff Privy to in her role at Formula academy bringing up young and talented female drivers?
And what is the conflict relevant to F1?

Sometimes, it's not about having access to information but having access to people with information. Insider gossip is also a potential concern. And the bigger a chain, the larger the chance of a weak link. Information can always sift through the cracks.

That's even more true for every single F1 team principle and management rep if it's being held as suspicion of Susie Wolff. I'll state the blinding obvious, her remit has got zero to do with Formula 1.
She's the managing director of an all-female talent series that uses an F4 car. It's inescapably evident that any one of the Team bosses, or team hierarchy have more dealings with high level FIA officials almost daily, sometimes even socially.

What information access is the FIA allowing Wolff that would be a conflict of interest to Formula 1?
Only the FIA can answer that.
More pertinently, IF Wolff had access to c.o.i information by way of FIA staff, that is hilariously... the FIA's fault.
If the c.o.i originated by way of the FOM(Domenicalli) again the failure lies with the FIA who are to blame for pollinating the space with information that should not be shared.
That is, if there's any truth to the story, and right now it just looks like it was a poorly orchestrated vendetta against Toto Wolff(alluded to by BBC and Autosport with the swearing thing and Hamilton crossing the track).

Then MBS got caught with his pants down when all teams essentially called him an outright liar.
I would be very intrigued to see what happens tomorrow at the FIA prize giving ceremony

[taperoo2k]

Sometimes where there is smoke, it's just smoke...

The teams have zero benefit in denial if it's a lie, and this notion of official vs unofficial is just semantics. Ben isn't the guy to sit idle and be made the bad guy for the sake of protecting "unofficial" info or informants..

There is clearly a political power struggle taking place between the FIA and FOM (a very old one). If the allegations are baseless then it's probably a very dim-witted move to target the Wolff's. Not only have you possibly damaged their reputation you might also cause damage to Mercedes AMG's brand image.

[CHT]

The fact that Toto and Suzie are husband and wife is enough to raise concern about a possible or potential conflict of interest.
Suzie will be like the eyes and ears of Toto within FOM.

[hollus]

The fact that Toto and Suzie are husband and wife is…. nothing new.

[chrisc90]

[organic]

Not surprised

[taperoo2k]

A rather sharp climb down from the FIA there. I'd assume some strongly worded letters from lawyers were sent to the FIA.

[mcdenife]

Given the reputation and history of the original author (if you mean BusinessF1), this should not have even featured on this site or forum let alone the FIA raising any issue or investigation about it. The forum idiots will be forum idiots, they will come and they will go, depending on the latest fad or fancy. However @Tomba, have to call you out here; why oh why have you let them hijack the forum and drive away the technical aspect and the men/women of reason who; regardless of the teams they support and despite differences of opinions, did not peddle in innuendo, supposition, personal agenda, armchair investigations of things/people they nothing about, peddle fictions as facts etc?

[Luscion]

No investigation after all, i do wonder if the Wolff's will now go after BusinessF1

[ValeVida46]

No investigation after all, i do wonder if the Wolff's will now go after BusinessF1

Given the targeted nature of this, I think it's pretty clear now that MBS position is untenable as he is not a neutral leader of the sports governing body.
How long he stays will likely be determined by how long the sport can be ok with that.