17/03/2017
NEWS STORY
Susie Wolff, former DTM racer and test driver with Williams, who is married to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, has failed in her bid to get a 6 month driving ban overturned.
The Scot, who now works as an ambassador for Mercedes, told Oxford Crown Court that losing her license would be "hugely embarrassing" and affect her charity work.
"I'm not a girl racer," she insisted, having been recorded doing 35mph in a 30mph zone in June 2015 in the Oxfordshire village of East Hanney, "I save my speed for the race track.
"It is a hugely embarrassing situation to find myself in," she continued, "I'm a professional driver and to be caught speeding and to have my license taken away for speeding, would have an effect on my reputation."
Despite claiming that as a "role model" to the girls her charity, Dare to be Different, is aiming to help, a ban would let them down and that she would not be able to participate in the charity's events or do her ambassadorial job promoting Mercedes, her pleas fell on deaf ears.
"It may well be an embarrassment as far as her position is concerned," declared Recorder Sarah Campbell as she dismissed Wolff's appeal, "but it may be a salutary lesson to those aware of the facts."
Wolff, who had nine points on her license for two previous speeding offences when she was banned by magistrates for six months in November, was also fined £500 and ordered to pay £345 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.