Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: December 06, 2023, 03:30 IST
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Mercedes and Formula One reacted angrily on Tuesday after the governing FIA mentioned it was investigating media hypothesis a crew boss obtained confidential info from an worker of the business rights holder.
LONDON: Mercedes and Formula One reacted angrily on Tuesday after the governing FIA mentioned it was investigating media hypothesis a crew boss obtained confidential info from an worker of the business rights holder.
The crew principal was not named however media reviews talked about Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and spouse Susie, who leads the all-female F1 Academy and reviews to Formula One chief government Stefano Domenicali.
“The FIA 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,” the governing physique mentioned in an announcement.
“The FIA compliance department is looking into the matter.”
Liberty Media-owned Formula One mentioned the FIA assertion had not been shared upfront and expressed “complete confidence that the allegations are wrong” and “no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal.”
Formula One added that it had “robust processes and procedures that ensure the segregation of information and responsibilities in the event of any potential conflict of interest.”
Mercedes spoke of “unsubstantiated allegations” from a single media outlet.
“The team has received no communication from the FIA Compliance Department on this topic and it was highly surprising to learn of the investigation through a media statement,” it added.
“We wholly reject the allegation in the statement and associated media coverage, which wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal.”
The web site reported that some principals had expressed concern to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of a possible battle of curiosity, though nothing had been mentioned in public.
It mentioned Ben Sulayem had requested the compliance division to analyze.
An FIA spokesman couldn’t touch upon the matter.
Formula One and the FIA have been at loggerheads on quite a lot of points since Ben Sulayem took workplace on the finish of 2021.
Some crew bosses additionally raised battle of curiosity considerations final yr when Shaila Ann-Rao, who had labored as a particular adviser to Wolff, was appointed the FIA’s interim head of Formula One.
She left the governing physique lower than six months later.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Reuters)
