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Toto Wolff Reveals Christian Horner Distanced Himself From Support by Team Principals for Susie Wolff

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Christian Horner(L), Toto Wolff(R)

The FIA launched an investigation on F1 Academy Director Susie Wolff and her husband Toto Wolff in 2023, which shocked the community and in some ways united them all against the governing body of the sport. The investigation was deemed to be due to a ‘conflict of interest,’ as both she and Toto work in the same industry, but almost everyone found these allegations absurd. In a recent interview, Toto revealed how all the Team Principals rallied behind him and his wife, promising to go public against the FIA — all except Christian Horner.

I didn’t make a single phone call to any team. Fred took it into his hands and said: ‘This is just so unfair’. From Guenther Steiner to James Vowles, everybody jumped on to this. They were all ready, but for Christian, to sign a document in our support,” the Mercedes boss said to The Guardian.

Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull, has had a long-standing rivalry with Toto and Mercedes for some time now. However, Toto’s statements suggested that he expected Horner to put their animosity aside, as the investigation was non-sporting — it was personal. Toto added how Horner distanced himself from it until the other nine Team Principals let him know that it wouldn’t look good.

This revelation doesn’t paint Horner in a particularly good light, especially with off-track scandals surrounding his behavior with a Red Bull employee breaking the headlines earlier this year. For Toto and Susie, thankfully, the investigation went nowhere.

Susie’s defiant stance against the FIA

Although the FIA dropped their investigation, Susie decided not to let the governing body get away with this fiasco and decided to pursue legal action in March 2024. She filed a criminal complaint to courts in France, describing the comments made by the sporting authorities against her as false and distasteful.

“I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call out improper behavior, and make sure people are held to account. While some may think silence absolves them from responsibility, it does not,” she said in a statement.

Since then, the FIA hasn’t made any public comment against her, as she continues to head the all-female racing series competing under the F1 umbrella. A trailblazer for women in motorsports, Susie’s actions both on and off the track have inspired many.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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