Driver changes and appointments are one of the most interesting sub-plots of any F1 season, but in 2025, a change in the political side of things has the community buzzing.
There have been reports of Susie Wolff working on being in charge of the FIA for over a week now, which also comes at a time when the relationship between the fans and the governing body is at an all-time low. Current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem isn’t a popular figure, and his clampdown on swearing has made him an even more polarizing figure.
Things are so bad that at the F1 75 launch event in London last week, the FIA’s mention was met with a chorus of boos.
However, Wolff — who is currently running F1’s all female development series F1 Academy — is a widely loved personality, which makes it likely that the community would approve the idea of her being the new President of the FIA. A former world champion certainly thinks she is more than good enough to replace Ben Sulayem.
“She’d be perfect,” 1996 Drivers’ title winner Damon Hill wrote on Instagram, showcasing his support for the former Williams reserve driver.
Wolff, a trailblazer for women in motorsports, had a target painted on her back in the first year of the Ben Sulayem administration. She and her husband Toto (Mercedes CEO and Team Principal) were accused of having a conflict of interest, which led to a very public investigation.
Damon Hill supports Susie Wolff’s potential run for FIA President. Says “she’d be perfect”. pic.twitter.com/SlgDxW1Vyw
— sim (@simsgazette) March 1, 2025
The couple felt humiliated, and sought legal actions against Ben Sulayem and the FIA, ultimately leading to the charges being dropped.
So, it isn’t surprising that Wolff wants Ben Sulayem gone from the role that oversees everything she does on a day-to-day basis. The best way to do that? Run for office herself.
Why was Susie Wolff targeted?
Wolff, the last female driver to have taken part in an official F1 session, was chosen to lead the F1 Academy, which aims to promote the development of young women in the sport and provide them with a platform to shine.
For the most part, she was doing a great job.
Ben Sulayem, however, took issue with her relationship with Toto. Even though they worked in different areas of the F1 paddock, he deemed it necessary to have them investigated for a ‘conflict of interest’ — even though F1 Academy and Mercedes’ operations were in no way intertwined.
At the same time, her marriage with Wolff could come in the way of her being President of the FIA.
If she does announce that she is running, she will have to convince voters internally that her relationship with the Mercedes boss will not come in the way of her daily responsibilities, or that she won’t show any favoritism towards the Austrian’s team.
