2012 / 2013 Formula 1 Silly Season

[Wouter Melissen]

Crazy morning in F1. Timo Glock has parted ways with Marussia, apparently to make room for a pay-driver, while Williams share-holder and board member Toto Wolff has been appointed at Mercedes-Benz.

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC (WGPH, Ticker: WGF1) today announced that Toto Wolff, one of its Executive Directors, will be leaving the Company with immediate effect to take up a new role with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Toto will be relinquishing his seat on the Company’s Board of Directors but will retain his shareholding. Team Principal and majority shareholder Sir Frank Williams will continue to oversee the running of the Company with Toto’s responsibilities being shared between members of the Board’s Executive Committee.

Speaking about Toto Wolff’s departure Sir Frank Williams commented; ‘’I would like to thank Toto for his hard work, dedication and commitment to the team during his time as a Director of the Company. He was a key support to me as Executive Director last season, deputising at a number of races when I was unable to attend. However, positions such as the one offered to him by Mercedes do not come around often. Toto has a long history with them and I certainly was not going to stand in the way of him accepting this once in a lifetime opportunity. Toto will retain his shareholding in Williams and will always have a place at Grove but make no mistake; we will fight him hard on the racetrack! I am sure he will be a strong asset for Mercedes and on behalf of the whole team I would like to wish him the best of luck in his new role. I’m lucky to have a very professional group of people around me and the Company’s Executive Committee will continue the work they have been doing to ensure a successful future for the business.”

[Kitdy]

Wolff also owns 49% of HWA, who manufacture Benz's DTM machines.

How peculiar a situation.

F1B posited Vitaly in a Marussia racing in Russia for 2014. I see that.

[faksta]

Somehow I've always had a feeling that Nikolay Fomenko was never much interested in Petrov trying to grow his own protege Ivan Lukashevich instead. On the other hand, seems like Fomenko has become a rare guest in his own team late last season... I may be wrong, of course, but that was my feeling.