Susie Wolff, the F1 Academy head and wife of Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff, has no interest in becoming the next president of F1’s governing body the FIA despite recent media reports, PlanetF1.com understands.

A report by Italian publication Autosprint claimed last week that Mrs Wolff, the head of Formula 1’s all-female feeder series F1 Academy, has been considering standing in this year’s upcoming presidential election.

PF1 sources: Susie Wolff has no interest in FIA president bid

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

The post is currently held by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who succeeded former Ferrari F1 team principal Jean Todt as FIA president in December 2021.

Autosprint claimed that a brief and controversial investigation into an alleged conflict of interest involving the Wolffs in late 2023 may have been launched after Ben Sulayem got wind of Mrs Wolff’s interest in launching a presidential bid.

In a statement reacting to the launch of the FIA’s investigation in December 2023, Mrs Wolff said it was “disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner” and argued that the “baseless allegations” were “rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities.”

PlanetF1.com has learned from sources close to the situation that Mrs Wolff has no interest in running to become FIA president.

The 42-year-old, a prominent campaigner for increased female involvement in motor racing, is understood to be fully focused on her work with F1 Academy.

It is believed that Mr Wolff’s high-profile role with the Mercedes F1 team would be seen as a clear obstacle to his wife holding a senior role within F1’s governing body given the obvious potential for a conflict of interest.

As such, it is understood that there is no prospect of Mrs Wolff launching a bid to become the president of the FIA.

FIA presidents are allowed to hold office for up to three separate terms consisting of four years each, meaning Ben Sulayem is free to stand in both the 2025 and 2029 elections.

The 63-year-old has been a polarising figure since he was elected FIA president almost four years ago.

Mrs Wolff, who enjoyed a respectable career in the German touring car series DTM, became the first woman since 1992 to participate on an F1 race weekend at the 2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where she appeared for Williams.

The Scot enjoyed three further FP1 appearances for Williams before retiring from motor racing at the end of the 2016 season.

Following the end of her driving career, Mrs Wolff launched the Dare to be Different initiative aimed at increasing the participation of women in all forms of motorsport.

After a four-year spell with the Venturi Racing team in Formula E, where she first held the role of team principal before becoming chief executive, Wolff was appointed as managing director of the newly launched F1 Academy category in March 2023.