Christian Horner – latest: F1 and FIA breaks silence on allegations and Red Bull’s investigation

F1’s governing body, the FIA, have made a brief statement this morning, insisting they will not be commenting further until the probe is concluded.

“In relation to the independent investigation currently being undertaken by Red Bull GMbH, the FIA reiterates that until such time as the investigation has concluded and the outcome is known, we will not be commenting further,” read an FIA statement.

“The FIA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness and inclusivity within the sport.”

Red Bull’s future engine supplier Ford Motor Co. said it is awaiting the results of an investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour by team principal Christian Horner, but a top executive stressed that Ford holds its company and partners to very high moral standards.

Ford is slated to become Red Bull’s engine supplier in 2026 and is the first of Red Bull’s existing partners to comment on the controversy surrounding Horner. The team leader has remained defiant in his denial of claims of misconduct made to parent company Red Bull, which two weeks ago announced it had launched an independent investigation into the claims.

Mark Rushbrook, global head of Ford Performance Motorsport, said Friday at Daytona International Speedway that Ford is awaiting the outcome of the investigation into Horner.

“As a family company, and a company that holds itself to very high standards of behaviour and integrity, we do expect the same from our partners,” Rushbrook said. “It appears to us, and what we’ve been told, was that Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously. And of course, they’re worried about their brand, as well.”

The honest answer is we don’t know.

However, reports indicate that Red Bull – much like F1 – are keen for the investigation into Horner’s conduct to be concluded as soon as possible, perhaps as early as this week.

Pre-season testing starts in Bahrain on Wednesday with the first race of the season at the Sakhir circuit on 2 March.

At the end of his umpteenth media scrum on Red Bull’s launch day and celebration of 20 years in Formula 1, Christian Horner could not resist a customary quick-witted remark. Prodded and probed on the ongoing investigation into his conduct as team boss – he denies allegations from a female colleague of “inappropriate behaviour” – the unveiling of the RB20 car had fallen rapidly down the news agenda.

Horner, however, was keen to avert attention back to the machine likely to spearhead Max Verstappen’s charge to a fourth successive championship this year.

“Do you like the cooling on the car then?!” he said, as he slumbered from British journalists to Dutch journalists. In most years, Red Bull’s intriguing sidepod design would have been the focus. Not this year.

A very bullish and undeterred Horner was very much the man in the spotlight at Red Bull HQ on Thursday. The 50-year-old, fighting for his job as the longest-serving team principal on the F1 grid, was not quietly whisked away to the sideline as you may have anticipated. On the contrary, from the start of the launch featuring drivers, engineers and executives to the end of his 14^th interview of the day, Horner was completely front and centre in the rather unique setting of a gigantic warehouse for this highly thought-out event.

Christian Horner spoke out about the allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him for the first time at the Red Bull car launch on Thursday in Milton Keynes

Latest on Horner investigation

Formula One has called for Christian Horner’s Red Bull future to be “clarified at the earliest opportunity”.

Horner’s role as Red Bull team principal remains in the balance following a claim of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague.

Speaking at Red Bull Racing’s car launch in Milton Keynes last Thursday, the 50-year old continued to emphatically deny the allegations made against him, and insisted he would be in Bahrain for the opening race of the season on March 2.

Christian Horner’s influence on Formula One – from the 31-year-old hotshot team principal in 2005 to unmissable mainstay of the paddock nearly 20 years on – is unquestionable. The Red Bull boss was tasked with a monumental mission when he was put in charge of the energy drink giant’s peculiar foray into the pinnacle of world motorsport in the mid-2000s. The castle he has built since has been stratospherically impressive.

Case in point was last year’s near-perfect season, winning 21 out of 22 races. It has all been, perhaps, even beyond his own lofty aspirations.

But it could all come crumbling down. As details emerged last Monday, Horner is now subject to an investigation by Red Bull’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, after a complaint of “inappropriate behaviour” was made by a female colleague. Horner strongly denies the allegations.

Full piece below by Kieran Jackson:

Christian Horner insists the support he has received from within Red Bull has been “overwhelming” as the Formula One boss broke his silence during the ongoing investigation into his conduct.

The Red Bull team principal also repeatedly denied the allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” made against him by a female colleague and insisted he was “confident” of clearing his name. He could give no timeframe on when the investigation will conclude.

Appearing publicly for the first time since the investigation was publicised – at Red Bull’s 2024 F1 car launch at their HQ in Milton Keynes last Thursday – Horner added that he intends on being in Bahrain for pre-season testing this week.

While unable to comment on the nature of the investigation, Horner appeared composed and undeterred by the allegations, continually insisting it was “business as normal” at the world-championship winning team ahead of the new F1 season starting on 2 March.

A Red Bull GmbH spokesperson told The Independent on Friday night: “As already stated, it would not be appropriate for us to comment before the investigation is completed.”

Red Bull Racing have refused to comment on the matter.

In the only official comment from the team or company all week, Red Bull GmbH said in a statement on Monday: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.

“This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister. The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Christian Horner spoke out about the allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him for the first time at the Red Bull car launch on Thursday in Milton Keynes