Lewis Hamilton backs Susie Wolff's stand against FIA's lack of transparency

Susie Wolff's criminal complaint

Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Susie Wolff, the Managing Director of the F1 Academy, revealed that she has personally filed a criminal complaint against the FIA in French courts.

This move comes after the governing body initially looked into a potential conflict of interest between Wolff and her husband, Toto Wolff.

This came after alleged complaints from F1 team bosses about sharing confidential information.

Lack of transparency and accountability

Despite the paddock's strong defense of Susie Wolff and the FIA backing down from its investigation, Wolff has taken action due to the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter.

In her statement, she emphasized the importance of standing up against improper behavior and holding people accountable, stating,

"Whilst some may think silence absolves them from responsibility - it does not."

Hamilton's support and praise

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time F1 world champion, has come out in strong support of Susie Wolff, praising her bravery and leadership in shining a light on the lack of accountability and transparency within the sport and the FIA.

He expressed his pride in Wolff's actions, stating,

"Firstly, I'm incredibly proud of Susie. She's so brave. She stands for such great values. She's such a leader."

Addressing the lack of transparency

Hamilton emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability within the sport, questioning how trust can be maintained when actions are happening behind closed doors. He stated,

"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."

Call for change and inclusivity

The Mercedes driver expressed hope that Wolff's stand will create positive change and have a positive impact, especially for women in the sport.

He highlighted the concerning narrative of retaliation for filing complaints, which contradicts the sport's values of inclusivity.

Hamilton stressed the need to stay true to the core values of inclusivity and ensure that the right message is sent to those involved in and supporting Formula 1.

George Russell's support

Mercedes teammate George Russell also voiced his support, emphasizing the importance of transparency and addressing concerns when facts and figures are not readily available. He stated,

"When we don't have the facts and figures, and there is no transparency, you always think there's something being hidden."

"That's why it's so important for the sport now to send the right message to everybody who's supporting Formula 1, watching Formula 1, wants to be involved in Formula 1, that things aren't just swept under the carpet."