Susie Wolff knows what it is like for a team boss to see his driver at the top of the Formula E World Championship one minute and crash the next. That was the roller coaster ride in the seventh season for all teams according to the qualification rules, which punish the championship leaders and make consistency almost impossible.
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
“This is my first race in London and I’m really looking forward to it,” she says. “And yes, I have a driver in the race – along with 12 other drivers who are still in the race! And that is a great challenge for Formula E. There are variables in it that make constancy a real challenge. We had a difficult weekend in New York so we have to try to recover – four more races and everything to play for.
“I think a very important part of Formula E is the entertainment factor. And that is something that we are very aware of; we want to offer exciting racing. And I think a great example of that was the Monaco ePrix; we drove on the Grand Prix track, we had a lot of overtaking maneuvers, the lead changed on the last lap.
“The attack mode makes it strategically exciting and always has cars moving forwards and backwards. And there are other parts like Fan Boost that I think we could probably lose. But it was a very exciting season with so many different winners. One could argue that it is a little too variable and does not rely enough on athletic justice. But that’s something we’re investigating. “
Susie Wolff, Venturi Team Principal, during the press conference
1/4th
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Susie Wolff, Williams FW37
2/4th
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Susie Wolff, Team Principal Venturi Formula E celebrates podium place in Parc Ferme
3/4th
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Susie Wolff, Team Principal, Venturi
4th/4th
Photo by: Dan Bathie / Motorsport Images
Changing the qualifying format needs to be handled correctly as with other next steps for Formula E; This series is no longer in its infancy. It is more of a teenager now struggling with growing pains and having to make the right decisions about the future, especially with manufacturers’ recent dropouts.
“We are no longer such a young start-up with all the hustle and bustle around us, we are now getting into changes where we really have a solid foundation and need to have a short, medium and long-term plan like we do Companies can expand sport, ”says Wolff. “There are very good people in management who know that there are certain areas that need to be changed in order to create a better show and to ensure that we are in a better position in the long run. The big obvious change is the Gen 3 era (new car model) which will be introduced at the end of next season. There is of course a lot of discussion about how to make sure the format is the best, with charges and a change in qualification format to allow for a bit more athletic justice. “
Despite everything she has achieved as a team boss, Wolff is known above all as one of the strongest voices in the last ten years for more female involvement in motorsport. As a pioneer of the Dare to be Different program, she merged it with the FIA’s Girls on Track program and this year saw significant growth with the talent recognition program “Rising Stars” in collaboration with Ferrari.
“It was a huge help to us that diversity is such a big topic in the world, and not just in motorsport,” she says. “People expect to see diverse environments now. And it’s not good enough if it isn’t varied. The problem is, it is okay to talk about it so that it gives momentum. But it comes down to the steps we all take to actually make a difference. We see so many great opportunities and just not enough female talent to fill the opportunity. Therefore, within the Girls on Track initiative, we focus very much on getting into popular sport and make sure that we open up the sport. Then we take these very intelligent and talented women who are now successful in sports and draw more role models from them. “
Photo: Daimler AG
Wolff oversaw the development of a diverse workforce at Venturi, now 33% female employees, many working mothers like herself. “We’re the most efficient people and multitasking people because we just have to be!” She laughs.
“But I also have to prove that it is successful because in the end I am responsible for the team’s performance. And I hope that with this year’s performance in Formula E we have shown that it actually works. “
As far as her own ambitions for the future are concerned, Wolff rules out a change to team boss in Formula 1: “I think a Wolff in Formula 1 is enough! Otherwise it would be a pack ”, she laughs and refers to her husband Toto, team principal of the Mercedes F1 team.
Photo by: Kanal 4
“When I came to Venturi, it was in a completely different situation than it is now. There are exciting things ahead of the team. We have a new American owner who is very ambitious for the future. My own personal journey; I’m someone who always likes to develop, I like to push myself and challenge myself to keep growing. Hopefully when the season is over I can take stock, be proud of what we have achieved as a team, and then see what comes in the future. “
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