442 replies to this topic

[southernstars]

 

Would be hilarious if the "source" turns out to be Ben Sulayem himself.  It's definitely someone close to him.

 

It's definitely either him or one of his team. The original BusinessF1 article refers to Rao's allegations of sexism as "a coordinated attack on the President".

[Kao18]

Do you have a link for that?

Did they name a source?

I do remember this coverage being discussed, but I can't find anything on their website now. Possibly it's been removed? Or not tagged with Susie Wolff? https://www.planetf1...tag/susie-wolff

They mentioned they talked to a source in several of their reports on the matter.

And I believe AMuS initially reported they talked to a reliable source that attended the last meeting in AD but then later labelled it a mistake.

[Raest]

This is a forum, it is a place where people discuss. If you have evidence that Susie was the best candidate for the Williams test role and was the best candidate for the Formula E team boss role bring it on. I am simply stating I think her involvement with a senior person in Mercedes was a bigger factor than anything else.

I have to be careful about posting such things as I do not know the answers and stating things in a strong way is not advisable in a public place, hence why I have posed these questions. If you do not like that, fair enough, they are only questions.

Why can't a post be based on theory not fact, is this a purely fact based environment, no, so your post has little to back it up aswell.

But iof you want to believe this person got those roles purely and only on merit, fair enough. I do not.

Based on how well she performed she was likely the best candidate. Happy now?

[gillesfan76]

I think it's a power struggle between the 3 (12) parties. Everyone wants more.

 

Now it is a bit lopsided, because the 10 teams+FOM are aligned vs the FIA, mainly because the money issue (11th team)

But it will get more mixed when they start negotiating the new Concord agreement.

 

Toto played the game well recently, he even got his advisor to a top FIA role, then their relationship with MBS soured, he got the porpoising TD, albeit not in a way he wanted.

On the other side, he didn't get the FOM job a few years back (that went to Domenicali), but he still has regular meals with Maffei. And now Susie Wolff is in the top management of FOM, which is on merit, she has the credentials, etc, but it is still a win.

 

Where this gets interesting is the tweaking of the rules for F1 Academy. Next year we will have Toto nominating and sponsoring a driver, while Susie runs the show. Wonder who will win?

 

Outstanding, you really should write for Daily Mirror. Aim high.

[RekF1]

Outstanding, you really should write for Daily Mirror. Aim high.

no no, it's a conspiracy to pretend women deserve respect.

[SophieB]

Susie Wolff is taking legal action.

 

[FLB]

Susie Wolff is taking legal action.

 

 

 

Happy Days!

 

 

(...here as well)

[MortenF1]

Good. I cheer for her!

[Marklar]

reminder that in France defamation is a criminal offense, so her case has definitely at least legs to stand on.

[southernstars]

YESSSSS, GET HIM, SUSIE.

[macjim]

What a CF, makes you wish for the bad old days of Max/Bernie, at least when they plotted something they generally got it right.

[KWSN - DSM]

reminder that in France defamation is a criminal offense, so her case has definitely at least legs to stand on.

 

Was she defamed? Presume the case will settle that.

[jonpollak]

I’m starting a campaign: de fame the famous.
Their 15 mins are up.
Jp

[P123]

I wonder if all the 'investigations' into Ben Sulayem were purely as a means to say "look, we do these sort of compliance referrals all the time, honest". 

[Gary Davies]

In which case perhaps someone cried wolff too often. 

[southernstars]

Was she defamed? Presume the case will settle that.

Accusing a woman of being unable to be professional and passing confidential information purely because she is married is pretty defamatory.

[BleuMurmure]

I wonder if all the 'investigations' into Ben Sulayem were purely as a means to say "look, we do these sort of compliance referrals all the time, honest". 

Maybe he can also file a complaint for being investigated

[Broekschaap]

Is this the statement of the FIA she filed the criminal complaint against? Or are there others?

 

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 FIA Compliance Department is looking into the matter.

[Brackets]

Accusing a woman of being unable to be professional and passing confidential information purely because she is married is pretty defamatory.

 

I can't even believe you had to spell that out...

[Gareth]

Is this the statement of the FIA she filed the criminal complaint against? Or are there others?

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 FIA Compliance Department is looking into the matter.

I think there must have been other statements made to the media (even if not via an official statement like the one above). For example Sky reported that the FIA had told them that multiple team principals had complained.

Amazing seeing the above contrasted with the treatment of Horner. First of all we got “we only respond to formal complaints” - obviously not true from the above which references media speculation only. Then we got “if there is a complaint it would be handled by a completely separate body so we wouldn’t even know about it and couldn’t tell you if an investigation was going on” - again, obviously not true given they were perfectly happy to tell the media they were investigating Wolff.

And to bring this together with a third thread: funny how this supposedly entirely independent body that’s separate from the FIA that treats allies of MBS entirely differently to his political rivals should happen to have marked the FIA’s homework and decided that MBS passed with flying colours.

[KWSN - DSM]

Accusing a woman of being unable to be professional and passing confidential information purely because she is married is pretty defamatory.

 

Was she named by FIA?

 

I understand we all know that she was the person, she is sueing FIA, I am questioning if FIA defamed her - And I say that we will know once the proceeding have run their coiurse.

[Gareth]

Was she named by FIA?

 

I understand we all know that she was the person, she is sueing FIA, I am questioning if FIA defamed her - And I say that we will know once the proceeding have run their coiurse.

Not actually naming someone doesn't help in UK defamation proceedings* if it is obvious who was meant by it.

 

The FIA said they were investigating from media speculation about a FOM person passing info to an F1 team principal. It's 100% obvious who they meant. The fact they didn't say "Susie Wolff" won't help them legally imo

 

(that's not to say any statement was defamatory - as you say we shall see about that - just the lack of a specific name won't matter one way or the other imo)

 

*EDIT: I say UK as I recall a recent case. I appreciate this is France but I would be surprised if there was a difference in this element

[JRodrigues]

This is just petty. Nothing new coming from Wolff camp.

[Oulton]

Who are the unhappy team principals?

[Reynardff]

Accusing a woman of being unable to be professional and passing confidential information purely because she is married is pretty defamatory.

Its because she is married to the person who would benefit not just someone. Really you can honestly say they would not talk at the dinner table. Nieve is the only way of describing your comment.

[OvDrone]

Finally, something, anything positive and constructive I can put my energy behind.

[ANF]

Is this the statement of the FIA she filed the criminal complaint against? Or are there others?
 
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 FIA Compliance Department is looking into the matter.

I believe that's the only statement. Alan Baldwin/Reuters published this article some hours after the statement had been released with reactions from Susie Wolff, Mercedes and Liberty: https://www.reuters....obe-2023-12-05/

[Broekschaap]

I somehow expected there to be more to it. But ok, it's with the courts now, we will find out soon enough what a judge thinks about it.

[Eastern]

I’m starting a campaign: de fame the famous.
Their 15 mins are up.
Jp

 How about de femme de femme?

[Gareth]

I somehow expected there to be more to it. But ok, it's with the courts now, we will find out soon enough what a judge thinks about it.

I think it must be the media briefings, rather than the official statement, that's the source of the claim - as I think it would be tough to bring a claim for just what's in the official statement.

[SCUDmissile]

Hope she bleeds the FIA dry.

Pathetic organisation

[Bliman]

This is just petty. Nothing new coming from Wolff camp.

Petty. Lol. Blaming this on the so called Wolff camp is petty.

[CSF]

Who are the unhappy team principals?

 

Toto. She wouldn't tell him things.     

[Counterbalance]

Its because she is married to the person who would benefit not just someone. Really you can honestly say they would not talk at the dinner table. Nieve is the only way of describing your comment.

 

They will most likely talk about many things, but both have way too much to lose by idly chatting about confidenial information whilst enjoying their pot noodles over the dinner table.

 

I'd still love to know who (or which team) made the allegations though.

[Gareth]

I assume that is part of the fun of the claim.

“You said that multiple team principals had complained about me in my role. This was untrue and negatively harmed my reputation”

Where do the FIA go with that? Seems to me they’ve either got “multiple F1 team principals saying you’ve breached ethics rules isn’t reputation damaging for someone who has a career in motorsport” - ok, good luck with that one …

Or they’ve got “actually it’s true here’s the evidence of the complaints from team principals”, which given every team put out a statement saying they did not complain means you’ve got the FIA vs other teams “no you’re the one who lied” battle?

[FullThrottleF1]

Hope she bleeds the FIA dry.

Pathetic organisation

I think I've found Stefano's account

[RedRabbit]

I assume that is part of the fun of the claim.

“You said that multiple team principals had complained about me in my role. This was untrue and negatively harmed my reputation”

Where do the FIA go with that? Seems to me they’ve either got “multiple F1 team principals saying you’ve breached ethics rules isn’t reputation damaging for someone who has a career in motorsport” - ok, good luck with that one …

Or they’ve got “actually it’s true here’s the evidence of the complaints from team principals”, which given every team put out a statement saying they did not complain means you’ve got the FIA vs other teams “no you’re the one who lied” battle?

But they didn't. The media did. And FIA stated that because of the media reports, they would look into it. And did.

The teams all issued a rather embarrassing copy + paste statement that was clearly pushed onto them.

This is another witch hunt. Just another piece in the FOM vs FIA battle going on.

[Gareth]

But they didn't.

They did: https://www.skysport...-and-toto-wolff

Sources within the [FIA] have suggested to Sky Sports News that more than one F1 team principal raised a concern about the Wolffs

[BleuMurmure]

They did: https://www.skysport...-and-toto-wolff

This is gonna be a fascinating case. I'm so interested who the Sky sources are within the FIA. Cleaner Joe or MBS himself?

Edited by BleuMurmure, 21 March 2024 - 20:55.

[JeanAlesi27]

 Sources within the [FIA] have suggested to Sky Sports News that more than one F1 team principal raised a concern about the Wolffs

 

Which was exactly the contents of the F1 Business reporting.   

 

I'm waiting to see the criminal charges.. If she should be suing anyone, it's the effin publication.   

[RekF1]

This is just petty. Nothing new coming from Wolff camp.

Any semi sentient being can see the hypocrisy wrt the FIA and it's treatment between Horner and Wolff. I'm on two warnings because of comments like this.

[RoryFormula1]

Which was exactly the contents of the F1 Business reporting.

I'm waiting to see the criminal charges.. If she should be suing anyone, it's the effin publication.

Really? Why just the publication? Do you know how defamation works under French law?

[RoryFormula1]

But they didn't. The media did. And FIA stated that because of the media reports, they would look into it. And did.

The teams all issued a rather embarrassing copy + paste statement that was clearly pushed onto them.

This is another witch hunt. Just another piece in the FOM vs FIA battle going on.

Is a media report the proper method to start an investigation per FIA rules? How often does the FIA launch investigations based on a media report?

It’s amazing that people believe that corporations don’t have agency. Do you really believe that 10 teams, that would likely argue over what to have for lunch, are just going to tweet out something because someone forced them to?

The only thing that’s embarrassing is the FIA and their leadership finding themselves involved in another controversy. Absolute clowns.