More bloody politics

[FB]

This piece by Andrew Benson on the BBC is a bit odd as it starts with suggestions that Susie Wolff has been telling secrets to hubby Toto. About what it is not clear. It then goes on to suggest that FOM my tell the FIA to stick it because Mohammed Ben Sulayem is a bit of a gob-shite (well there's a surprise).

As the FIA was not allowed to run the commercial aspects of Formula One due to regulations from the EU, what makes FOM think they can take over the regulation of the sport and not fall foul of the same regulation?

They whole things stinks and I am sick to death of the greed of those involved in F1 who appear to be doing everything they can destroy the sport, whilst doing nothing to improve the actual quality of the racing.

 

[Brogan]

I anybody seriously thinks Toto and Susie don't discuss work then they are deluding themselves.

Everyone does it.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Here is the link to the full article:

Susie Wolff rejects conflict of interest allegations

F1 Academy head Susie Wolff rejects allegations of a conflict of interest involving her and husband, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, in the "strongest possible terms".

www.bbc.co.uk

What shocked me the most is this:

Susie Wolff said in a statement on social media: "It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities."

Susie Wolff has abilities?

 

[F1Brits_90]

i was wondering what this was about because i just kept seeing loads of F1 denying these allegations on social media. but is she actually accused of doing i dont understand as F1 academy & F1 are different categories.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732454061704692048

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732452513436012879

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732452381671985642

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732139722099642798

McLaren Racing statement

McLaren Racing statement

www.mclaren.com

 

[Johnny Carwash]

77 days until the test session in Bahrain. F1 needed some sort of non story to be in the news until then.

 

[cider_and_toast]

i dont understand as F1 academy & F1 are different categories.

It's because Susie has access to Stefano Domenicali and the FOM Board in her role so she'll know stuff.

She says she doesn't talk about any of this with Toto when they're snuggled on the sofa watching the DVD of her DTM racing highlights. Having said that, this would only take about 2 minutes so I can say for certain there wouldn't be a lot of time to talk about anything. What they talk about when its late and she's not in the mood is another question.

 

[FB]

My apologies for not posting the original link. I presume the team(s) who have made a complaint have some evidence, or is it another round of character assassination and an attempt to drive Toto Wolff out of his job at Mercedes?

More worrying for me was the, yet again, the threat of FOM taking F1 away from the FIA. Get a grip you bunch of numpties. The FIA elected an outspoken man from a despotic, backward country, with a horrendous human rights record and an appalling attitude towards women and then says things you don't like. Now there's a shocker. But then previous FIA presidents have been a member of the French Nazi division of the SS, the son of the leader of the British Union of Fascist, and a man who ran F1 on behalf of Ferrari, both when employed by the team and after he left.

What a joke of an organisation. Did FOM not do their due diligence before they paid a King's ransom to "dear old Bernie" for the commercial rights to F1?

 

[F1Brits_90]

It's because Susie has access to Stefano Domenicali and the FOM Board in her role so she'll know stuff.

undoubtedly she'll have chats. but i dont know what F1 academy has to do with mercedes

 

[cider_and_toast]

undoubtedly she'll have chats. but i dont know what F1 academy has to do with mercedes

The F1 Acadamy has nothing to do with Mercedes but if your Mrs is on the inside at FOM and knows stuff, the theory is that you could influence decisions or she could find out stuff for you, pass on insider information etc.

At work I'm currently acting as the head of Track Safety Training Design and Delivery. I don't have anything to do with Telecoms Training Design and Delivery for example but I sit on section head meetings where that manager delivers his group report. I know what they're up to and what's coming in that area in the same way I do the other sections.

 

[F1Brits_90]

thats a good point. i did enjoy a comment that said it must be bad if all 10 teams have unanimously agreed on something as that never

 

[P1]

It's because Susie has access to Stefano Domenicali and the FOM Board in her role so she'll know stuff.

She says she doesn't talk about any of this with Toto when they're snuggled on the sofa watching the DVD of her DTM racing highlights. Having said that, this would only take about 2 minutes so I can say for certain there wouldn't be a lot of time to talk about anything. What they talk about when its late and she's not in the mood is another question.

While true that she may have access to these people, she is not a member of the FOM board. She isn't sitting in the board room while they are discussing F1 because she is not on the board. And BTW Toto also has access to Domenicali and the FOM board members - he is the leader and co-owner of one of the top teams. Of course he has access to them. We all know that the leaders of Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Renault and Mercedes lobby FOM.

This whole thing is ridiculous.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I don't deny that, I was just saying to F1Brits what the accusations were.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And just like that, its all gone away...

https://x.com/andrewbensonf1/status/1732815374423404739?s=20

 

[F1Brits_90]

this is terrible for the FIA because weve got to find out who started this. because it started out as all the teams are furious & 1 by 1. they all denied it & reaffirmed the support for F1 academy

so who complained was this the president trying to start something & pretending it was the teams. the whole thing has been an extremely confusing & strange situation

 

[Brogan]

this is terrible for the FIA because no-one cares. Something something off season scandal. When does pre-season practice start? They're not using Spain again, are they? FFS.
Oh, are Mercedes sandbagging?
Well that was a shit race. Let's hope the next one's better.

Fixed.

 

[F1Brits_90]

good on Lewis here. no better place to have ago at the FIA than at there gala. it looking harder to see how he govern if he isolated because he's turned alot of people against him or govern at all

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733131026153513242

 

[cider_and_toast]

As the FIA was not allowed to run the commercial aspects of Formula One due to regulations from the EU, what makes FOM think they can take over the regulation of the sport and not fall foul of the same regulation?

I've been thinking about this. Would FOM fall foul of the same regulation thought?

How does the PDC manage in darts? They are private company and are the commercial rights holder of their own organisation and they operate completely outside of the World Darts Federation who are the governing body. The PDC organise their own events with their own players etc.

Also, the FIA is based in Paris and is therefore within the EU. FOM is traded on the NASDAQ and is to all intents a US company and therefore very outside of the EU.

There are now so many tracks that, if they lost their FIA license, it wouldn't matter because they're all made up street circuits. Most of these countries don't hold other events so the threat of the FIA throwing them out wouldn't make much difference.

I really do think this time it could well be done if FOM had the backing from the teams.