Hamilton calls for change at FIA after Wolff storm

:Lewis Hamilton called for change at Formula One's governing body on Friday after what he said was "unacceptable" treatment of his Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff's wife Susie over an alleged confidentiality breach.

The sport's most successful driver, a seven-times world champion who finished third overall this season, spoke out at a press conference ahead of the FIA's end-of-year prizegiving gala in Azerbaijan.

"A disappointing week really to see that the governing body of our sport has sought to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we've ever had in our sport," said the Briton.

"Without questioning, without any evidence. And then just saying sorry at the end, and that's just unacceptable.

"There is a constant fight to really improve diversity and inclusion within the industry but it seems that there are certain individuals in the leadership within the FIA that, every time we try to make a step forward, they try to pull us back, and that has to change."

Susie Wolff runs the all-female F1 Academy series, which involves all the F1 teams, and reports directly to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

She said she had received online abuse after the FIA announced it was looking into media speculation about the transfer of confidential information between a team principal and a Formula One employee.

The governing body backed down on Thursday, after the Wolffs had been publicly identified as those involved and after Mercedes' rivals had denied making any complaint against either of them.

Toto Wolff said in a statement issued through Mercedes that there was an ongoing legal exchange with the FIA.

"We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal