Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has said that recent weeks had been “very trying” for his family after a female employee made allegations of controlling behaviour against him.
Horner insisted it was time to “draw a line” under the recent controversy in a press conference before the Saudi Arabian grand prix this weekend.
The employee was suspended from work on full pay on Thursday, which the Times understands was a direct result of the independent investigation which cleared Horner, 50, last week.
Sources suggest the reason given to her was that she had been dishonest, and that there were inconsistencies in the evidence she had provided. Red Bull said they were unable to comment on the internal matter, as did Horner during his press conference in Jeddah on Thursday afternoon.
The investigation has not been made available to the public or to senior figures in Formula 1, despite calls for transparency from rival team principals. Red Bull Austria GmbH said that the reason for this was because it “is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation”.
Advertisement
Horner has continued to deny the allegations and is preparing for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Until now, the female employee, who has been approached for comment, had continued to work as normal at Red Bull.
Horner, 50, explained that even if he wished to speak more openly on the matter, he was unable to do so. “I’m not at liberty, unfortunately, due to confidentiality, and out of the respect to the company and the other party,” he said. “We’re all bound by the same restrictions, so even if I would like to talk about it, I can’t, because of those confidentiality restrictions.
“The only reason this has gained so much attention is because of the leakage and attention drawn in the media, which has been very trying in many respects and particularly for my family, because it has all been focused very much in one direction.
“After that, others have looked to take advantage. Unfortunately, F1 is a competitive business and elements have looked to benefit from it and that’s perhaps the not-so-pretty side of our industry. Of course, there’s lessons but there’s a process governed within the company. It’s not an FIA issue, it’s not an F1 issue, it’s a company employee issue, and that would be the same in any major organisation.”
The female complainant retains the right to appeal within five days of receiving the official written confirmation that the grievance was dismissed, and is understood to be likely to do so.
Advertisement
Barely 24 hours after Horner was cleared by the investigation panel, an explosive email containing private messages purporting to be between Horner and his accuser was sent to 149 people, including senior F1 executives and members of the media.
While Horner has not claimed that the files, containing hundreds of messages and other content, are fake, sources have pointed to discrepancies with some of the correspondence. Certain WhatsApp messages begin with a lower-case letter, when WhatsApp mobile posts automatically start with a capital. The Times has seen past WhatsApp messages from Horner and they start with a capital letter.
He elaborated on the damage to his reputation that he believes he has suffered from those leaks. “It’s obviously been a very trying period,” he said. “I’m married [to the Spice Girl Geri Horner] and have three children. When that intrusion includes your children and the scrutiny placed on my marriage . . . I’m very fortunate I have a beautiful family and a very supportive wife. I’m the only one that has been named in this.
“When there’s children involved, families, parents etc, it’s not pretty. The reality is that there was a grievance raised, it was dealt with in the most professional manner by Red Bull GmbH, that appointed an independent KC, one of the most reputable in the land. He took time to investigate fully, he interviewed all the people involved, with others of interest, he had all the facts, he came to a conclusion where he dismissed the grievance.
“As far as I and Red Bull are concerned, we move forward and look to the future. My wife has been phenomenally supportive, as have my family, but the intrusion on my family is now enough and we need to move forward and focus on what we’re here for [racing].”
Advertisement
Horner was speaking on a press conference panel alongside fellow team principals Mike Krack (Aston Martin), James Vowles (Williams) and Bruno Famin (Alpine), with the vast majority of questions directed towards the Red Bull boss.
On Wednesday, Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s world champion driver, defended his father’s outspoken criticism of Horner, saying: “My dad is not a liar.” Jos Verstappen had claimed that if Horner remained in position, the team would “explode”.
“I’m obviously aware of the comments that were made,” Horner said. “There was a discussion [with Jos] subsequent to the race, everyone’s focus is very much on the future, the team’s focus is very much on defending both of these world titles [drivers’ and constructors’], that we’ve fought so hard to achieve.
“I obviously congratulated [Jos] on his son’s performance, and I think it’s in everyone’s interests collectively that we’ve agreed to move on to focus on the future. We both have a vested interest in his son to get the best cars for him and get the best out of him. He’s an outstanding talent and hopefully we can continue to provide him a very competitive car.
“Max’s father has played a key role in his career and getting him to Formula 1. Obviously Jos is his own man, Max is his own man as well. We’ve seen him go from being a teenager when he joined us to now very much a young man who’s achieved what he has. It’s not for me to comment on relationships between fathers and drivers, they’re all unique between the different individuals.”
Advertisement
The divisions within Red Bull have led to speculation that Verstappen could move to join Mercedes, who are looking for a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, after his announcement that he will join Ferrari at the end of the season.
On Wednesday, Verstappen said he saw “no reason” to leave Red Bull, and Horner emphasised he believes he will see out his contract.
“I’m certain he will, he’s got a great team around him, he’s got great faith in that team and we’ve achieved an awful lot together. He’s committed until 2028 and from the team side, Max’s side, we’re determined to build on the success we’ve achieved already.”
