Susie Wolff will retire from sports
After four years as a development driver for Williams, Susie Wolff has decided to retire at the end of the season.
When Susie Wolff was appointed as a development driver for Williams in 2012, Bernie Ecclestone praised the announcement in his own way: « If Susie is as fast in a car as she is beautiful outside, she will be a very important asset to any team. Besides that, she is very intelligent. I really look forward to having her in Formula One. »
During the four seasons, Toto Wolff’s wife was able to participate in four test days and four Friday morning sessions during a Grand Prix weekend. At 32, she has indicated that her last race will be the upcoming Race of Champions at the end of the month: « I am closing this chapter but look forward to new challenges in the future. I would like to thank Williams for the opportunity they have given me over the past few years, which allowed me to fulfill my dream of driving a Formula 1 car. »
Nevertheless, one can still remember that while Williams did give her a seat for test sessions, they never seriously considered putting her in the driver’s seat during a race. Thus, at the beginning of the season, when Valtteri Bottas was unable to drive due to back pain, the team preferred to call on Adrian Sutil as a reserve driver, while Alex Lynn had already been appointed as a development driver in January.
But Claire Williams, the team principal, naturally prefers to highlight the positive aspects: « It has been a pleasure working with Susie over the years and seeing her develop as a driver within the team. Her feedback and knowledge of the car have been important in our recent development, and we are sorry to see her go. »
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
