Who is Susie Wolff, wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff?

Susie Wolff is a familiar face on the F1 paddock. She is known as Toto Wolff's wife, but Suzanne Stoddart was making a name for herself in motorsport even before she partnered with the Mercedes team boss.

Where does Susie Wolff come from?

Suzanne Stoddart was born on 6 December 1982 in the Scottish town of Oban. Susie is the daughter of John and Sally Stoddart, who run a motorbike business in Oban. Father John is also active as a motorbike racer, albeit at a local level. Susie also has a brother, David, who is a year and a half older.

With the racing gene in her blood, Susie started karting at eight. In 1996, she was also named Woman Kart Racing Driver of the Year. Wolff continued karting until 2000. She had varying degrees of success. She finished with a handsome 10th place in the British championship in her final year.

Susie Wolff's racing career

Susie then started studying. She studied at the University of Edinburgh but left after one year. Wanting to chase her dream, she switched from karting to formula cars in 2001. Her first experience was in the Formula Renault Winter Series before competing in the British Formula Renault Championship in 2002.

Susie Wolff drove for three seasons in the British class and got better and better. She eventually reached the podium four times and finished fifth overall in 2004. That year, she finished behind number three, Paul di Resta, who would later be seen in F1.

After a brief and unsuccessful move to British Formula 3, Susie appeared in the DTM, the German touring car championship, in 2006. Susie completed seven full seasons in the DTM and totalled 4 points. She scored all those points in the 2010 season. That year, she also recorded her highest ranking in the championship: 13th.

Susie Wolff in F1

On 11 April 2012, Susie Wolff, who was then married to Toto Wolff, was announced as the development driver of the Williams Formula 1 team. Her husband, Toto Wolff, was a Williams shareholder at the time.

Susie Wolff made history by driving two free practice sessions for Williams in Formula 1 in 2014. This made her the first woman since Giovanna Amati to compete during a Formula One race weekend.

Wolff drove her first free practice during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. However, due to engine problems, she completed only one lap. Her second free practice at the German Grand Prix on Friday, 18 July 2014, also started with problems, but she eventually made a good impression. Wolff finished the session 15th, some two-tenths behind regular driver Felipe Massa.

In 2015, Susie Wolff remained active for the Williams F1 team and drove two free practice sessions. The first free practice was at the Spanish Grand Prix and the second again at the British GP. On 4 November 2015, Susie Wolff announced she was quitting F1, saying she had achieved all she could achieve.

Susie Wolff in Formula E

After her career in Formula 1, Susie Wolff started as an ambassador for Mercedes. In that role, she was seen side-by-side with her husband. However, Susie embarked on a project of her own in 2018. She became the team boss and a Venturi Racing shareholder in Formula E.

The 2020-2021 season was very successful for Susie when driver Edoardo Mortara came second in the drivers' championship behind Nyck de Vries. A year later, Mortara finished third, and the team achieved their best result in history by finishing second among the constructors.

Susie Wolff was appointed CEO in 2021 but announced her departure from the team at the end of 2022. The team will continued under the Maserati name the following year.

Susie Wolff F1 Academy

On 1 March 2023, Formula 1 announced that Susie Wolff had been appointed as the director of the newly launched F1 Academy. This fulfilled a dream of Susie Wolff, as her goal has always been to help girls and women on their way to the top of motorsport.

Susie Wolff and Toto Wolff came under a magnifying glass in late 2023 when the FIA reported an investigation of Formula One Management's guidelines. Potential conflicts of interest in the appointment of Susie Wolff were being investigated. She, as part of the FOM, could potentially pass on information to her husband, Toto Wolff, who is the team boss and CEO of Mercedes.

Mercedes denied there would be any conflict of interest, and Susie and Toto Wolff reacted strongly to the allegations. All other F1 teams supported the Wolff family, as did F1. The FIA eventually withdrew and did not investigate the case further.

Susie Wolff and Toto Wolff

Toto and Susie Wolff met when Toto was co-owner of HWA AG. Wolff proposed on a boat in Venice after the couple had been in a relationship for eight months. In 2011, Susie and Toto married in Capri, Italy.

Do Susie Wolff have children?

Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff had one son together named Jack. Jack was born in 2017 and lives with his parents in Monaco.