1996 Formula 1 champion Damon Hill has backed Susie Wolff to succeed Mohammed Ben Sulayem as FIA President.
Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy and the FIA came to blows at the end of 2023 when the governing body launched a conflict of interest probe based on an alleged complaint from an F1 team.
The investigation sought to determine whether Wolff’s marriage to Mercedes Team Principal Toto was a conflict of interest, but after the remaining nine F1 teams published statements in support, the probe was dropped.
Wolff reportedly launched a criminal complaint against the FIA, and both she and her husband condemned the actions of an “unfounded” investigation that lacked “transparency.”
The Italian publication Autosprint claims that the feud could be tied to Wolff running for the FIA presidency, with Ben Sulayem seeking another term in this December’s elections.
Autosprint suggests the investigation into the Wolffs may have been Ben Sulayem subtly acknowledging he “was aware of the possible launch of Mrs Wolff in a presidential election race.”
Reacting to various reports that Wolff is poised to run for FIA Presidency, Hill, the ‘96 F1 champion and a popular broadcaster wrote on Instagram: “She’d be perfect.”
As endorsements go, that’s short, but resounding to a point.
Wolff’s impact on motorsport
Wolff’s potential running for FIA presidency is well-timed given that female fans aged 16 to 24 are the fastest growing demographic for F1, the governing body’s grandest of all series.
Those stats are presented by Forbes, which also states that 41% of all F1 fans are female.
Beyond F1, Wolff has long been an advocate for pushing real change in motorsport, addressing the gender imbalances of its participants.
Wolff is still the last female driver to participate in an F1 session (with Williams in 2014) and as Managing Director of the all-female F1 Academy series, has brought international live broadcasting plus backing from all 10 F1 teams and several global brand partnerships.
Wolff isn’t alone in pushing for female representation in motorsport, the Iron Dames is another prominent player on the international racing stage, supporting female athletes in sportscar racing, single-seaters and rallying.
More than Equal is another, set up to develop and nurture female drivers towards the start of their racing journey, to unearth the first female F1 world champion.
As the gender shift in motorsport persists for the good of all participants, Wolff running for president could help quell the imbalance for good.
READ MORE – Susie Wolff launches criminal complaint against FIA
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