Wolff and Ben Sulayem bury the hatchet and make peace?

In a revealing interview with Motorsport-Total during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, the Mercedes team principal offered surprising praise for Ben Sulayem’s leadership and policy decisions. The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) he leads, is Formula 1's governing body.

Wolff, once a vocal critic of an eleventh team on the grid, acknowledged: “He probably made the right choice with the eleventh team.”

The Mercedes team principal, CEO and co-owner was referring to the Cadillac entry, originally proposed by Michael Andretti, which gained FIA approval under Ben Sulayem but faced initial resistance from Formula 1 rights holders and Wolff playing the role of 'Moaner in Chief' at the time. The move was eventually accepted when Michael Andretti left the scene, and General Motors formally backed the project.

Wolff also tipped his hat to Ben Sulayem’s firm leadership style: “One can't deny the fact that the president sweeps through things with an iron fist. He doesn’t let anyone tell him what to do. That can also have its advantages.”

Wolff expressed similar support for the FIA’s controversial crackdown on driver language, which had been ridiculed during the official F1 75 launch event in February.

“I think his swearing clampdown is correct,” said the Mercedes F1 boss. He explained that many drivers aren't native English speakers and may not grasp how offensive their words can be when translated.

Wolff also raised concerns about the impact of such behaviour on younger drivers, including his own son Jack: “The eight-, nine-, and ten-year-olds speak like the grown-ups. They are, of course, their role models.”

The FIA recently revised Appendix B of the International Sporting Code, halving fines for first-time swearing offences to €5,000 and introducing leniency for remarks made in uncontrolled settings such as team radio. Controlled environments like press conferences and podium interviews still demand full decorum.

Wolff explained: “We're also the drivers' trash can. He’s sitting there at 300 km/h, physically and mentally exhausted, and then we tell him to please speak politely. That’s not the point… they’re allowed to vent. But it mustn’t become insulting. That’s where we take tough action.”

Appendix B also prohibits political, religious, and personal statements in F1. Violations can result in a €20,000 fine and a public apology. While tensions between Wolff and Ben Sulayem may not be completely behind them, the Mercedes boss’s latest remarks suggest a notable shift in tone, and a possible new era of cooperation between the once warring pair.