F1 Today | Wolff to miss Baku as Domenicali’s monster earnings come to light

Toto Wolff will not be present at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next weekend. GPblog has learned that the Mercedes team principal will skip the race in Baku, meaning he will not be in the garage for an important stage of the Formula 1 season. Instead, Wolff will follow the action remotely from outside Azerbaijan.

Mercedes will therefore have to operate without its team principal on site, with deputy team principal Bradley Lord stepping in to replace him in Baku. The Silver Arrows are entering a crucial part of the campaign, but Wolff’s absence will not leave the team without senior leadership during the race weekend, with Lord taking over his responsibilities at the circuit.

It is not unusual for Wolff to miss a Grand Prix from time to time, particularly when Mercedes has an experienced replacement available. The Austrian also stayed away from the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka earlier this season, with no special reason given for his absence on that occasion. His decision to skip Baku is therefore another example of Wolff occasionally choosing not to attend a race in person.

Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali earned £7.9 million in 2025, according to Formula 1 Management’s latest annual report. The Italian has led the sport since January 2021 after seven years as Ferrari team principal.

While Domenicali is not named in the 40-page filing, the highest-paid director received almost £8m, making him the clear recipient. The figure is down from £8.765m in 2024 and includes £1.9m from long-term incentive plans, as well as exercised share options, rather than representing a basic annual salary alone.

The accounts also offer an insight into the business operating behind Formula 1. FOM’s pre-tax profit rose slightly from £19.9m to £20m, while revenue increased by 9.2 per cent from £393.4m to £429.6m. However, higher costs absorbed much of that growth, with freight, travel, television production and championship-related technical support spending rising by £15m to £207.1m. Personnel costs also climbed as the workforce expanded from 726 to 803 employees.

Domenicali’s remuneration represented a significant portion of the £13.3m paid to FOM directors during the year. However, the figures do not provide a complete picture of Formula 1’s finances, as Formula 1 Management primarily serves as the championship’s operational arm, while Liberty Media holds its commercial rights. Major revenue streams such as broadcasting and merchandising are therefore not fully reflected in the filing.