Horner’s case gets tougher, the FIA reacts: the latest information

Will Christian Horner still be the team principal of Red Bull Racing on Saturday, March 2nd, the date of the first Formula 1 Grand Prix of the 2024 season? In recent days, allegations against him have been multiplying, and more and more key figures are speaking out. Let’s look back on these eventful days within the Austrian brand.

For your information, Christian Horner was placed under investigation by Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of Red Bull Racing, and was questioned in London by a specialized lawyer last week after a team member filed a complaint against him for inappropriate behavior.

The team principal then denied all the accusations against him and even attended the launch of the new RB20 this Thursday, not having been suspended from his duties while the investigation was ongoing. During this presentation, he spoke publicly for the first time and inevitably admitted a distraction within the team during the pre-season.

Friday, February 16: Rumors of allegations of sexual misconduct emerge

The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that Christian Horner allegedly sent sexually suggestive messages to an employee at Red Bull Racing over an extended period, with these messages being recorded and presented as evidence to an external lawyer by the employee’s private attorney.

The same Dutch newspaper also claimed that the lawyers representing the team principal of Red Bull in F1 tried to reach a settlement with the employee.

Christian Horner’s lawyers, according to De Telegraaf, allegedly tried to settle the matter by paying 650,000 pounds, with the senior management of Red Bull GmbH being aware of the situation.

Friday, February 16 and Saturday, February 17: Ford and Red Bull react

Meanwhile, the American automotive giant Ford, which is set to become Red Bull’s engine partner in F1 in 2026, has issued a statement regarding Horner’s situation.

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport, declared: “As a family-owned company and a company that sets very high standards of behavior and integrity, we expect the same from our partners.”

For what we have understood and what we have been told, Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously. And of course, they are also concerned about their brand. That is why they have launched an independent investigation.

As long as we don’t see what truth emerges on this subject, it is too early for us to comment on all of this.

On its side, the Austrian brand seems to want to quickly put an end to the investigation targeting the director of its F1 team. According to The Times, there is a desire to accelerate the process in order to put an end to the disruptions and uncertainty surrounding this matter. This willingness is said to be linked to the information published the day before by De Telegraaf.

Sunday, February 18: Formula 1 speaks up in turn

This Sunday, Formula 1 broke its silence on the matter and asked Red Bull Racing for a swift resolution to the investigation. « We noted that Red Bull has launched an independent investigation into internal allegations at Red Bull Racing », the statement said.

We hope that the situation will be clarified as soon as possible, after a fair and thorough process. We will not make any further comments at this time.

Monday, February 19: The FIA also communicates in favor of Formula 1.

Finally, today, the FIA has joined the F1 and the FOM in communicating in turn. Regarding the independent investigation conducted by Red Bull GMbH, the FIA reiterates that until the investigation is completed and the result is known, we will not make any further comments.

The FIA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and inclusivity in sport,” the statement concludes.

Red Bull’s pre-season testing is taking place in Bahrain from February 21st to 23rd. Christian Horner stated earlier this week that he intends to be in the paddock for all three days of testing.