Christian Horner, the Red Bull F1 team principal, was cleared of “inappropriate behaviour” by an investigation taken by the team’s parent company on Wednesday
Messages allegedly sent between Christian Horner and a member of staff at Red Bull’s Formula One team have been leaked – less than 24 hours after he was cleared of “inappropriate behaviour”.
Horner, team principal of the F1 champions, was this week cleared of any wrongdoing after an almost month-long investigation by the team.
Red Bull Racing’s parent company Red Bull GmbH announced on February 5 that Horner was under investigation following an accusation. Horner, 50, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, had vehemently denied the allegations against him.
Now messages and pictures, which Mirror Sport has seen, have been leaked to the F1 paddock including FIA president Mohamed ben Sulayem, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, the grid’s nine other team principals, and the media, with private conversations between Horner and an unnamed person detailed within them.
It is unclear at this stage whether the alleged exchanges formed part of the investigation.
Horner swiftly responded in a statement on Thursday evening: “I will not comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate I have always denied the allegations. I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.
It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister, and it has concluded dismissing the complaint made. I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”
Horner’s statement, and the leak, came after he had returned to Bahrain on Thursday ahead of the opening race of the 2024 F1 season. Horner was on the Red Bull pit wall on Thursday for both practice sessions. He left the paddock at 10:47pm local time with the team’s chief’s designer Adrian Newey.
Speaking to reporters after arriving in the paddock, he had said: “Look, I’m just pleased that the process is over. Obviously I can’t comment about it but we’re here very much now to focus on the Grand Prix and the season ahead and trying to defend both of our titles.”
Asked if he hoped if it was the end of the matter, he replied: “I can’t give you any further comment but the process has been conducted and concluded.”
In their statement on Wednesday clearing Horner of wrongdoing, Red Bull Austria, the team’s parent company, said: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. The complainant has a right of appeal.
“Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial.
“The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.”
Horner had been questioned by a lawyer for eight hours earlier this month at a secret London location. During the internal probe, he continued to be present for official Red Bull activities – including a car launch in Milton Keynes earlier this month – where he insisted it was “business as usual” – and also pre-season testing in Bahrain last week.
Horner flew back to England as he awaited his fate before heading back to Bahrain on a private jet on Wednesday.
Before the alleged WhatsApp exchanges between Horner and the complainant were leaked, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had challenged F1 and its governing body to demand greater transparency from Red Bull’s investigation. It is understood that neither Formula One’s owners Liberty Media, nor its regulator, the FIA, has seen the findings.
Now Red Bull are facing growing calls to share their findings.
“I just read the statement, which was pretty basic,” said Wolff. “My personal opinion is, we can’t really look behind the curtain.
“There is a lady in an organisation that has spoken to HR and said there was an issue and it was investigated and yesterday the sport has received the message that it’s all fine, we’ve looked at it. I believe with the aspiration as a global sport, on such critical topics, it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is?
“We’re competitors, we’re a team and we can have our own personal opinions or not. But it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need to assess, what is right in that situation and what is wrong. Are we talking with the right moral approach, with the values based on the speculation that is out there?
“As a sport, we cannot afford to leave things in the vague and in the opaque on critical topics like this, because this is going to catch us out.”
Horner has been Red Bull team principal since they entered F1 19 years ago and is the longest-serving boss on the grid. He has overseen seven drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.
Red Bull have dominated the sport in recent seasons and last year won 21 of the 22 races – with Dutch driver Max Verstappen setting a new record for 10 consecutive victories as he wrapped up his third title. However, Horner’s long-term future remains in question.
