The shadow of the Wolff affair hangs over the FIA ​​end-of-season gala

Incorrigible Formula 1, capable of offering us more action in three days of political-sporting intrigue than in 22 Grand Prix weekends this season.

Just when we thought we were sliding calmly towards the end of year celebrations, the FIA ​​opened Pandora's box last Tuesday (December 5) by announcing the opening of an investigation to shed light on a possible conflict of interest “between an employee of the FOM” and “a stable boss”.

If the legislator was careful not to identify anyone in these official communications, timely leaks quickly indicated that the couple formed by Susie and Toto wolff was in the sights of federal authorities.

The director of the F1 Academy, a championship affiliated to F1, and the main team Classic Mercedes for sale were quick to react sharply to criticize the FIA's approach.

A fact rare enough to be highlighted, the F1 teams have coordinated to share an official statement in which they assure that they have never complained of a possible conflict of interest to the government body.

Faced with the outcry, the FIA ​​retreated and ended its investigation on Thursday (December 7), probably in the hope of quickly moving on to something else while its traditional end-of-season gala was looming on the horizon in Baku (incidentally, one might wonder about the choice of such a host the year Azerbaijan launched a military offensive to take control of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-majority enclave…)

Lost effort for the legislator since the Wolffs declared that they were ready to take legal action in view of the damage suffered.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, here with the three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen, refrained from making thunderous declarations which are sometimes customary / © DPPI

Ben Sulayem keeps a low profile

We will remember that two years ago, Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton had boycotted the FIA ​​gala in Paris due to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and its controversial conclusion.

The seven-time world champion was present in the Azerbaijani capital this Friday (December 8) to receive the trophy awarded to the driver ranked 3rd in the 2023 world championship. During the FIA ​​pre-ceremony conference, the Briton, however, took the opportunity to qualify the FIA ​​investigation as “ unacceptable ».

While he was to speak during the same forum, the president of the FIA ​​Mohammed Ben Sulayem, whose free-electron style and sometimes confusing, even clumsy frankness we know, was called into question.

« A few days ago, the President suffered a malaise, a fall and a concussion, said a federal spokesperson. He received treatment in hospital and will make a full recovery. He would like to thank the medical staff and Mr. Anar Alakbarov and his team for their help, as well as all members of the FIA ​​family who wished him a speedy recovery. »

The Emirati, who some think was the maneuver in the Wolff affair, was nevertheless present a few hours later at the time of the awards ceremony. While we could fear a new outing which Ben Sulayem is sometimes accustomed to (remember the muscular exchange with Christian Horner a year earlier in the same context…), the president of the FIA, in office since the end of 2021, did not add fuel to the fire.

Hamilton, for his part, showed great elegance when accepting his award.

« I would like to congratulate Red BullMax (Verstappen. Editor’s note and Checo (Pérez. Editor’s note), who did an incredible job this year, said the Mercedes driver. Max was impeccable and the team really set the bar very high.

We have work to do to close the gap, but I believe we can do it. I also thank my team, who never gave up this year.

We started with the "sister" of the previous year's car, which was no good and no fun to drive for most of the year, but no one gave up, everyone continued to showing up every day and that’s been the most inspiring. »

If the evening concluded with the traditional photo of the 2023 champions, there is no doubt that the turmoil of the FIA-Wolff affair has not yet dissipated, far from it.

Lewis Hamilton boycotted the 2021 FIA gala after the controversy at the Abu Dhabi GP that year. / © DPPI