Toto Wolff accused of leaking/receiving confidential information

[TFSA]

So I didn't want to post this in the Mercedes thread, because i fear it's going to derail the thread. So I decided this deserves its own topic. I didn't see this posted anywhere else, so apologies if it's already been debated.

According to an article from BusinessF1 (which is apparently an F1 magazine, and although it looks legit enough, I'm not sure how much of that is simple sh*tstirring for the sake of it), team principals area increasingly unsatisfied with the fact that it seems that Toto Wolff has access to information before they do. Apparently, Toto was the one who started spreading the rumor about the Red Bull cost cap breach in 2021 - information that was apparently leaked to him by Shaila Ann Rao (employed at the FIA at the time) before anyone else, including Red Bull, knew.

In a recent meeting, team principles were apparently also shocked to find out that Toto seemed to (quote) "clearly had advance information about a topic that came up (...) A few of them worked out that it could only have come from a source at Formula 1 Group."

I'll leave the rest of it for you to read in the article. But there seems to be a concern over the fact that Susie Wolff is employed by F1 group, and that this is a conflict of interest, both in regards to Toto receiving potentially confidential information, but also that private discussions between the team principles might leak back to the FIA.

[purestpurist]

This is probably true, but I'd be shocked if other big teams aren't doing the exact same thing. If Wolff were that in bed with the FIA Mercedes would have more than one win in the past two years.

In the decades since the Schumacher-Brawn era Ferrari has continued to be accused of favorable treatment by the FIA despite obvious evidence to the contrary, even when they were the only real threat to the powers that were. I hope that same mistake isn't made with Mercedes. Before someone brings up the legacy money I mean this in a strictly sporting sense: Canada 2019, Austria 2019, and the clearly harsh (if clandestine) punishment for using an engine loophole back to back to back doesn't happen to a politically dominant team.

[denyall]

"Pillow talk riles rival team principles as crisis deepens"

You're joking with this post right?

[Sevach]

This is probably true, but I'd be shocked if other big teams aren't doing the exact same thing. If Wolff were that in bed with the FIA Mercedes would have more than one win in the past two years.

In the decades since the Schumacher-Brawn era Ferrari has continued to be accused of favorable treatment by the FIA despite obvious evidence to the contrary, even when they were the only real threat to the powers that were. I hope that same mistake isn't made with Mercedes. Before someone brings up the legacy money I mean this in a strictly sporting sense: Canada 2019, Austria 2019, and the clearly harsh (if clandestine) punishment for using an engine loophole back to back to back doesn't happen to a politically dominant team.

In the late 90s/early 00s Ecclestone repeatedly said he only cared about Ferrari and gave them very advantageous contracts, both in terms of money and power.
In that era i think it's very fair to say Ferrari held the advantage and it extended everywhere.

Going back to the 2013 tire test, it seems like Mercedes is in a priviledged position more often than not, getting head starts, having the car ready for rule changes that just been introduced (Canada 22 double stay, later cancelled), forcing rule changes.

[organic]

BusinessF1 magazine is an extremely low quality tabloid that has a very bad reputation. It is not credible news from this source

If you read the full article that this information has come from you'll see numerous errors.. not to mention it reads like all of the quotes from other team principals are completely fabricated. They also allege that Suzie Wolff is F1 Academy boss thanks to being Toto's wife, apparently ignorant of her long list of relevant credentials as a professional driver and then as a team boss..

Some examples of their typical content









https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/m ... f1-claims/

The mag originally shut down after the editor was successfully sued for false claims about Charlie Whiting - the author of most of their articles claimed that Whiting had falsified crash tests and contributed to driver deaths in 1994 which of course was not true and was forced to apologize

Pressgazette also states a number of other instances where businessF1 magazine was required to pay damages for libel, but they're too long to list here!

Until any credible outlet covers this, it should not be discussed as though any of it is remotely credible imo

[chrisc90]

Ive seen this pop up on a couple of social media sites (quite possible the twitter handle above). Was half asleep when I seen them, but wasnt really surprised by what I had read.

Even the budget cap Shenanigan's from 2021 (2022 year) seemed a little dubious IMHO

[Sieper]

More than a little.

[Juzh]

The entire Shaila Ann Rao situation was so obviously corrupt it was comical, akin to scripted tv show conspiracy but it actually happened in real life. TBH you gotta give it to Toto, planting a mole so high up in the FIA is an achievement on its own.
As for the rest of the article I wouldnt be the least bit surprised if it turns out true.

[FW17]

Shaila Ann Rao got fired?

[hollus]

Come on guys, too predictable who bites and says smoke and fire and who goes meh.
Aren’t we better than this? Don’t we want to be?
It is a weird tabloid, shouldn’t it die right there?
A tabloid is a tabloid, don’t give them a big microphone. I remember when Bild put in its cover the end of the world… again!

[denyall]

She had an intirm role. She left when her contract expired/job was finished.

The agreement here by some posters is exactly why tabloid trash like this exists. Rather than dismissal as fabrication, y'all agree in principle with what is being said without evidence or proof because it feels right..

There is no credible source that Shaila Ann Rao leaked FIA investigation data. The only quote I can find is from Ben saying she called the RB penalty harsh... and that she did her job with integrity.

[chrisc90]

The agreement here by some posters is exactly why tabloid trash like this exists. Rather than dismissal as fabrication, y'all agree in principle with what is being said without evidence or proof because it feels right..

I dont see any reason why the agreement/disagreement from other members commenting has anything to do with the discussion? Just brings tension and disagreement between members.



Others are reporting it too.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/251842/t ... ition.html

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/251906/a ... ation.html

https://thesportsrush.com/f1-news-toto- ... is-rivals/

https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-i-h ... -1-reports

https://www.autoracing1.com/pl/416564/r ... n-the-fia/

[denyall]

The agreement here by some posters is exactly why tabloid trash like this exists. Rather than dismissal as fabrication, y'all agree in principle with what is being said without evidence or proof because it feels right..

I dont see any reason why the agreement/disagreement from other members commenting has anything to do with the discussion? Just brings tension and disagreement between members.



Others are reporting it too.

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/251842/t ... ition.html

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/251906/a ... ation.html

https://thesportsrush.com/f1-news-toto- ... is-rivals/

https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-i-h ... -1-reports

https://www.autoracing1.com/pl/416564/r ... n-the-fia/

Blogs rehashing the original article is not journalism.

There is nothing to discuss. The article is a fabrication.

[TFSA]

Come on guys, too predictable who bites and says smoke and fire and who goes meh.
Aren’t we better than this? Don’t we want to be?
It is a weird tabloid, shouldn’t it die right there?
A tabloid is a tabloid, don’t give them a big microphone. I remember when Bild put in its cover the en of the world… again!

In the op, i suggested they might be sh*tstirring. Unfortunately, I don't know the history of F1 tabloids, and while the language in the article certainly isn't the most professional, that doesn't mean they can't potentially have sources other news outlets don't have access to. The main difference is that tabloids will most likely publish what they have faster than Verstappen getting out of Q1, while more trustworthy sources generally will wait until Q3 is over. 🫢

Also why i didn't want to post in the Mercedes thread with this. If it turns out to be either a hoax or overblown drama, then it won't ruin the proper Mercedes discussion - and if necessary, threads like this can be locked or deleted. But I thought it deserved to be shared.

Regarding the other posters in this thread, i don't necessarily think it's fair to just dismiss this as being impossible. One shouldn't jump to conclusions obviously (as many often do), but someone did leak the 2021 cost cap before time, and Team principles having a problem with a potential conflict of interest regarding Susie Wolffs employment isn't farfetched either - especially when you consider that team principals in general like to complain about everything between heaven and earth regarding the opposition.

So my stance on this is: i don't think it's implausible, but I would also like to see more info appear or have a more credible source chime in on this.

[Soalar]

Come on guys, too predictable who bites and says smoke and fire and who goes meh.
Aren’t we better than this? Don’t we want to be?
It is a weird tabloid, shouldn’t it die right there?
A tabloid is a tabloid, don’t give them a big microphone. I remember when Bild put in its cover the en of the world… again!

In the op, i suggested they might be sh*tstirring. Unfortunately, I don't know the history of F1 tabloids, and while the language in the article certainly isn't the most professional, that doesn't mean they can't potentially have sources other news outlets don't have access to. The main difference is that tabloids will most likely publish what they have faster than Verstappen getting out of Q1, while more trustworthy sources generally will wait until Q3 is over. 🫢

Also why i didn't want to post in the Mercedes thread with this. If it turns out to be either a hoax or overblown drama, then it won't ruin the proper Mercedes discussion - and if necessary, threads like this can be locked or deleted. But I thought it deserved to be shared.

Regarding the other posters in this thread, i don't necessarily think it's fair to just dismiss this as being impossible. One shouldn't jump to conclusions obviously (as many often do), but someone did leak the 2021 cost cap before time, and Team principles having a problem with a potential conflict of interest regarding Susie Wolffs employment isn't farfetched either - especially when you consider that team principals in general like to complain about everything between heaven and earth regarding the opposition.

So my stance on this is: i don't think it's implausible, but I would also like to see more info appear or have a more credible source chime in on this.

First of all good call not putting it in the Mercedes thread. Isn't there is any kind of f1 news thread?

And I don't know why but I think there to many coincidences, like the floor stays which Mercedes managed to produce seamingly instantly as the news came out. Or the cost cap breach etc.

I believe in coincidences, but once there are to many coincidences..

Wanted to comment here so when this turns out to be true I can boast about me calling it here in this post!