Christian Horner – latest: Red Bull F1 boss awaits decision on ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe

Red Bull are coming under increasing pressure to resolve their investigation into F1 boss Christian Horner, with Ford criticising their future engine partner over a “lack of transparency.”

Red Bull team principal Horner, 50, strongly denies allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” from a female colleague, which were first publicised on 5 February. He is under investigation by Red Bull Racing’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH.

Horner has repeated those rebukes during public appearances at Red Bull’s car launch and pre-season testing in the three weeks since, though no formal development on the probe has been announced. An outcome is expected in the next few days.

And Ford Motor Co., who will partner with Red Bull in 2026 to form Red Bull-Ford Powertrains, are unhappy with the nature of the investigation, as well as Red Bull’s lack of response to a request for further information on 14 February.

Horner strongly denies allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” from a female colleague, with his future as the longest-serving team principal in the sport hanging in the balance while an external lawyer analyses all the evidence.

Horner, 50, insisted at pre-season testing in Bahrain on Thursday that he wants the outcome to the probe “as soon as possible”, with the first race of the 2024 Formula 1 season just one week away.

Asked why he has not moved aside as team principal and chief executive of Red Bull Racing with the investigation under way, Horner replied: “As you are well aware there is a process going on which I form part of, and as I form part of that process, I am afraid I cannot comment on it.”

Now, the lawyer in charge of the probe will reportedly hand in his findings to the board of Red Bull GmbH – the team’s parent company – in the next few days.

It’s been three days of non-stop action in testing this week, as the 2024 F1 season started with hundreds of laps for each driver around the Bahrain International Circuit.

Red Bull, with their bold approach for this year’s RB20, continued to set the pace from the off, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen quickest on day one.

As for the rest of the pack, there appears to be little between the other top-tier contenders: Carlos Sainz was quickest for Ferrari on day two, followed by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

Charles Leclerc was the fastest on the third and final day, with late final-session surges from Mercedes’ George Russell and Stake’s Zhou Guanyu putting them into the top-three.

Here’s what we learned from the pre-season test in Bahrain:

A promising karter in his teenage years, Horner raced for two years in the late 1990s for Arden in Formula 3000, then the final stage before a potential F1 seat. Yet one moment in a pre-season test, when unable to match Juan Pablo Montoya’s commitment into a high-speed corner, told him all he needed to know.

Montoya would go on to race in F1, Horner would not. Abruptly, he retired from racing at the age of 25 and opted to cross over to the management side of the Arden team.

It was there he built up his early reputation, winning junior titles. But despite his relative immaturity in a motorsport management ecosystem then dominated by elder statesmen of the sport – Bernie Ecclestone, Ron Dennis, Ross Brawn etc. – his sights were still firmly set on Formula One.

Though talks with Eddie Jordan about a takeover fell through, at the age of 31 Horner became the youngest team principal on the grid when he was trusted with overseeing Red Bull’s entry into the sport, when the company’s co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz decided to venture into motorsport by purchasing Jaguar.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has called for Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner to be transparent – and said the controversy is “an issue for all of Formula One”.

Horner is under investigation by the racing team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH following a claim of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague.

The 50-year-old emphatically denies the accusation and remains in his role as Red Bull team principal. He is in Bahrain for this week’s three-day test ahead of the opening race, also in the Gulf Kingdom, on March 2.

And Horner has stated it is his intention to be in his post for the start of the new campaign.

“It is clear,” Wolff said when asked to address the allegations during the lunch interval on the first day of testing. “Formula One and the teams stand for inclusion, equality, fairness and diversity, and that is not only about talking about it, but living it day in, day out. These are just standards we set ourselves.”

“I am dreadfully sorry but I really can’t comment on the process or the timescale.

“Everybody would like a conclusion as soon as possible. But I am really not at liberty to comment about the process.”