Question Mark: Is Toto Wolff too powerful for F1?
Has Wolff’s involvement in F1 been excessive? Conflicts of interest? How would or can all this impact the future of F1?
10 August, 2022
Mark Kay

Has Wolff’s involvement in F1 been excessive? Apart from being the public face of the team he runs, an important function of Wolff’s role as CEO and Team Principal is to have a strong voice in the advocacy of the best interests of his team, but is it not reasonable to question if his voice is louder than his peers, the other F1 team bosses? Consider that in recent times the 50-year-old motor racing veteran has been one of, if not the most vocal questioning the value that will be gained if the proposed Andretti F1 team entry happens, from the sidelines he certainly threw a hefty spanner in the works to keep the F1-pie down to ten teams, not the twelve which every real F1 fan wants.

Last year’s Michael Masi aftermath… Many saw it as a sore-loser campaign with Wolff using his position to attempt to discredit the FIA, in a show of solidarity with the manner Lewis Hamilton lost the title, by not attending the end-of-year prize-giving ceremony to accept the 2021 F1 World Constructors Championship award. Granted Abu Dhabi was a disaster, but his team had nabbed an incredible eighth F1 title long before that night, yet he neglected to use the event as a public demonstration of respect to the two thousand or so dedicated employees of the Mercedes F1 Team who deserved better from their boss who until that day was all about sportsmanship. Excessive? Selfish? Or both?

REACTION (See link below) from one poster to this article: M96/72 “I believe Wolf’s (and his Academy Award-worthy drivers) campaign to influence the floor rules (also utilizing his former employee now acting as mole and influencer within the FIA) will result in rules written that will return Mercedes to the 2-seconds faster top of the heap and hamstring RedBull and Ferrari or anyone else. This season is my last as a F1 fan and follower after 42 years. I will no longer watch ,read about or purchase any team or driver merchandise.”

‘Too Powerful For F1?’;

https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/08...werful-for-f1/


Toto Wolff gets his wish as FIA president announces new 2023 rules changes.
TOTO WOLFF has called for rules changes to address porpoising as Mercedes continue to struggle.
10:32, Tue, Aug 9, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth

Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton could benefit from new 2023 rule changes after the FIA announced a plan to battle porpoising issues in a major win for Mercedes. Wolff has called for urgent action to be taken on the bouncing issues which has plagued the Silver Arrows this season.

The team has demanded changes on safety grounds since Hamilton suffered severe back pains at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. However, Wolff has been met by opposition from rival team bosses who claimed his call for updates was purely a tactical one.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto have both denied the need for regulation changes to solve the issues. But, the FIA has now sided with Mercedes’ argument as president Mohammed ben Sulayem announced the rules would be tweaked for next season.

‘Toto Wolff gets his wish’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...poising-safety


Wolff explains Andretti F1 bid opposition
Tuesday 9 August 2022 16:01
Sam Hall

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained why he has been one of the loudest voices opposing the addition of Andretti Global to the F1 grid.

Former F1 champion Mario Andretti confirmed in February that his son, Michael, had applied to the FIA for a position in the F1 paddock in 2024.

Asked how the two are different, Wolff said: "I think whoever joins as an 11th team, whoever gets an entry needs to demonstrate how accretive they can be for the business. "Andretti is a great name, they have done exceptional things in the US but this is sport and this is business.”

‘Toto Wolff, one of the loudest voices opposing Andretti Global’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/89...olff-andretti/


Toto Wolff fires back after being accused of trying to manipulate the FIA
The FIA is considering a new set of regulations for 2023 to eliminate porpoising.
9 August 2022
by Nick Golding

Mercedes F1 Team boss Toto Wolff continues to fire back at rival teams who claim that nothing needs to be done about porpoising, despite new data which suggests that drivers are at a serious health risk.

Red Bull Racing and the Alpine F1 Team, for example, haven’t suffered from porpoising this season, with the pair being against any FIA intervention.

Some teams who are against the proposed regulation changes have argued that porpoising hasn’t been seen as severely at recent races, and that Mercedes have improved considerably.

‘Trying to manipulate the FIA Accusations’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolf...ulate-the-fia/


Wolff says Mercedes are still ‘lacking’ against Red Bull and Ferrari

Toto Wolff downplays recent form and insists Mercedes are still ‘lacking’ up against Red Bull and Ferrari
Mercedes have earned double podiums in the last two races but Wolff is unsure their pace is up there with the leading contenders
12:35 Thu, 04 Aug 2022.
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has downplayed the recent form of the Constructors champions and insists his team are “still lacking to the frontrunners” of Red Bull and Ferrari.

Mercedes have earned double podiums in the last two races in France and Hungary, with George Russell a surprise pole sitter in Budapest - the Silver Arrows’ first pole position of the season.

Despite not being able to hold position as Max Verstappen’s surged through the pack, Russell still finished third with teammate Lewis Hamilton second and the seven-time world champion has now been on the podium in the last five races.

‘Mercedes are still ‘lacking’ up’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/tot...-b2138082.html