Toto, Susie Wolff want transparency from FIA on closed probe; active legal exchange under way

Barckley, Dec 8: Toto and Susie Wolff want answers from Formula One’s governing body and now there are lawyers involved.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, said Friday there is an “ active legal exchange “ happening with the FIA a day after the governing body dropped its conflict-of-interest probe into the couple.
The FIA on Thursday confirmed that “there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual.” That was two days after saying its compliance department was “looking into the matter.” Susie Wolff, who is the managing director of the all-female series F1 Academy, said Friday that her reaction to the FIA’s latest statement was: “Is that it?” “For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly,” she wrote in a social media post.
Susie Wolff said the episode has “taken place without transparency or accountability.” “I have received online abuse about my work and my family,” she wrote. “I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media.”
Toto Wolff’s statement was released by Mercedes.
“We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA,” he said in the statement.
“We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights.” The FIA did not respond to a request for comment.
The FIA’s compliance department had been looking into the Wolffs following allegations of a conflict of interest and whether they had shared confidential information.
The probe began after a report in BusinessF1 magazine that rival team executives raised concerns about whether Toto and Susie Wolff passed on information discussed in private meetings. Susie Wolff reports to F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
The BusinessF1 report said team officials were alarmed when Toto Wolff made comments in a recent meeting that included details they felt could only have come from F1.
The report did not detail what was discussed.
The Mercedes team and Formula One Management, which runs the commercial side of F1, denied any allegations of improper sharing of information or conflict of interest.
On Wednesday, nine Formula One teams released nearly identical statements denying they had complained to the FIA about an alleged conflict of interest.
The flurry of statements followed an appearance by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on Sky Sports in which he denied instigating the investigation. (AP)