The F1 season started in Bahrain last Saturday. Compared to the previous season, the top fight of the Bahrain GP did not offer anything new – Red Bull Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez grabbed a double win.
At the same time, it is clear that the biggest talking point of the early season has been the team manager, who led the Red Bull team throughout its F1 period, instead of the drivers Christian Horner.
The 50-year-old Englishman ended up in the middle of a media frenzy when a female employee of the stable accused him of improper behavior, according to media reports. Initially, it was claimed that the incident was related to Kitzbühel, the alpine skiing World Cup in late January.
Later Dutch media De Telegraaf wrote, that inappropriate behavior would be about the sexually tinged messages sent by Horner. According to the Dutch newspaper, Horner would have tried to offer the woman around 700,000 euros so that she would not take the matter forward.
The team announced last Wednesday that the Briton will continue as team manager. Horner has denied the allegations on several occasions.
– My focus is on winning the games and the season. I will do my best to Horner assured.
Last Wednesday, the team announced that an independent investigation found no evidence of inappropriate behavior.
– The investigation report is confidential and contains private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, so we will not comment further out of respect for all parties involved, the statement said.
More rounds were obtained at the beginning of the current week, when the Business F1 publication revealed the team’s CEO by Oliver Mintzlaff having received an exhortation from legal scholars to fire Horner in order to avoid damage to his reputation. The matter was reported in Finland, among other places Evening newspaper.
According to the German media Motorsport-total, Red Bull had already prepared a press release in which Horner’s dismissal would have been announced to the outside world. According to the magazine’s sources, many of Red Bull’s sponsors are considering ending their cooperation with the team.
Max Verstappen’s father’s statements added to the rounds
On Thursday last week, a British newspaper The Daily Mail reported, that the team manager’s sensitive material has possibly spread widely in F1 circles. An anonymous entity sent a link containing Horner’s private messages to numerous journalists, F1 bosses and F1 employees.
The leaked material contained dozens of pages of WhatsApp conversations, some of which had a sexual tone. So far, no media has been able to verify the authenticity of the messages.
Father of reigning world champion Max Verstappen If Verstappen’s are known to have obtained the materials in question.
– When he (Horner) stays in his position, there is tension in the team. The danger is that the team is torn in two. This cannot continue like this, the thing will explode. He’s playing the victim here, but he’s the one causing the problems, father Verstappen thundered for the Daily Mail.
Red Bull’s number one driver and younger Verstappen, meanwhile, avoided the Horner uproar in his comments.
– When you look at how Christian operates the team, you notice how great a team boss he has been. He is fully committed to the team. Of course (the noise) probably disturbs a bit, but like I said, we just focus on the performance side and we do it together, said Max Verstappen, who won Saturday’s GP race in Bahrain.
5 February: Red Bull announce that an independent investigation has been launched into Horner following a complaint of inappropriate behaviour.
February 11: The attorney interviews Horner for several hours, but the hearing ends without a resolution.
February 15: Red Bull will launch a car for the 2024 F1 season, and Horner tells the BBC the investigation is a “distraction” for his team.
February 21: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff requires research transparency.
February 28: Internal investigation ends. According to it, Horner is free of accusations, and Red Bull says that he will continue to lead the team.
February 29: As first practice for the Bahrain GP begins, Horner says Red Bull team unity has never been stronger. Later that day, Horner only commented on the messages that had spread to the public by repeating that he was not guilty of anything.
March 4: According to press reports, Red Bull had already prepared a press release about Horner’s dismissal before the investigation was completed.
“It’s a problem for all of F1”
McLaren and Mercedes team managers Zak Brown and Toto Wolff, among others, have taken a stand on the situation.
– I read Red Bull’s statement. From what I can see, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. I think the people running the sport need answers to really draw the line on this. Until then I think people will continue to speculate and I don’t think that’s healthy for the species, Brown said.
There has been a heated rivalry between Mercedes’ Wolff and Red Bull’s Horner for years, with Wolff expressing his desire to be investigated transparency. In his opinion, the matter should be looked into more.
– We defend equality, justice and diversity in F1. It’s not just talking, it’s living it day in and day out. These are the standards we set for ourselves. We are a global sport, one of the most important sports in the world and we are role models. It’s not just a Red Bull thing. This is a problem for the whole of F1, Wolff said.
The commotion surrounding the 50-year-old team manager was not transmitted, at least in the weekend’s Bahrain race, when Horner together with his wife By Geri Horner (née Halliwell) appeared in front of the media looking satisfied.
Horner became Red Bull’s team manager in January 2005. Red Bull has won six team championships and seven drivers’ championships under the leadership of the former racing driver.
Red Bull’s Verstappen is seeking his fourth consecutive championship and leads the overall race ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez. Ferrari’s is third Carlos Sainz Jr.
The F1 series continues in Saudi Arabia, where the races are held this week. The competition will take place on the 7th–9th. March at the Jeddah street circuit.