Lewis Hamilton has strongly criticized the FIA, expressing his concerns about the organization’s “transparency” and “accountability.” The Formula 1 Academy director, Susie Wolff, recently filed a lawsuit against the sport’s governing body, which has intensified the controversy.
In December, the FIA initiated an investigation into a possible conflict of interests between Wolff and her husband, Toto. Nevertheless, following support from other members of the paddock who defended Wolff and denied any complaints about their relationship, the FIA decided to withdraw its investigation. As a further development, Susie has now taken the step of launching a criminal complaint against the FIA in the French courts.
“There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter,” She wrote a statement ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
“I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call out improper behaviour and make sure people are held to account. Whilst some may think silence absolves them from responsibility – it does not”.
This move gained support from Hamilton, who spoke out before the Melbourne race. “Firstly, I’m incredibly proud of Susie,” he said. “She’s so brave. She stands for such great values. She’s such a leader.
“In a world where often people are silenced, for her to be standing up sends such a great message. I love that she’s taking it out of this world, filing it from outside, because there is a real lack of accountability here within this sport, within the FIA.
“Things that are happening behind closed doors, there is no transparency, there is clearly no accountability. How can you trust the sport and what is happening here if you didn’t have that?