23/01/2015
NEWS STORY
Former F1 driver Felipe Streiff has apologised for comments he made to the media suggesting that the FIA Panel's investigation into events surrounding Jules Bianchi's crash at Suzuka last year was a whitewash, aimed at clearing the sport's governing body of any culpability.
In the wake of the comments, FIA President Jean Todt took the unprecedented step of announcing that he and Saillant, President of the FIA Medical Commission, were to take legal action.
In a statement issued tonight, Streiff, who has been wheelchair bound since an accident during pre-season testing in Brazil in 1989, apologised for his comments, claiming he "got carried away" once the TV cameras started rolling.
"I let myself get carried away in front of the camera," he said. "The interview took a long time, too long, and I am aware that I made insulting and defamatory comments about Jean Todt, Gerard Saillant and the FIA which I sincerely regret.
"I ask Jean Todt and Gerard Saillant, who are well aware of my health problems, to excuse me," he added. "I regret having said things about them that are totally out of line with the consideration they both deserve."
In December, Streiff drew the ire of Michael Schumacher's manager Sabine Khem, with a number of comments to the media about the German's condition, even though it is claimed he had no access to him.
While Jean Todt was Schumacher's boss at Ferrari during the glory days of the early 2000s, and has remained close ever since, son Nicolas Todt is the manager of Bianchi.
Chris Balfe