Red Bull Racing announced on Monday that team principal Christian Horner is facing an investigation in light of a complaint against him over alleged "inappropriate behaviour". However, details about the actual nature of the complaint are scarce, but Horner has already come out to completely deny the allegations.
What do we know so far?
Speculations have been rife about the allegations against Horner, but the actual statement from Red Bull gave very little to go by. One thing is for sure, the claims are serious enough such that the main Red Bull organisation based in Austria is leading the probe, and not the racing team itself.
The statement about the investigation was distributed to members of the media from the Red Bull headquarters, saying: "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."
Despite having very little to go by, some outlets are publishing unconfirmed reports claiming that the accusations came from member of Red Bull staff, and that they relate to inappropriate behaviour of a controlling nature.
In response, Horner has simply said: "I reject these claims entirely."
Craig Slater speaks about the investigation into Christian Horner after allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made against the Red Bull team principal. pic.twitter.com/CnmSjNZfk2
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 5, 2024
What happens to Red Bull now?
Amid the ongoing investigation, it is understood that Horner will continue to fulfil his duties as team principal and CEO of the Red Bull Racing F1 team. A decision over whether he will remain in that position will be made once the investigation wraps up, but it is unclear how long that would take despite the company's assurances that they want the case to be resolved at the soonest possible time.
The chaos has come just a week before Red Bull is scheduled to launch their new car on February 15. Then, they will launch their double title defence once the 2024 season starts in Bahrain on March 2.
It will be a massive blow for Red Bull if Horner, 50, will be forced to leave his post. He has been at the helm since the team entered the F1 grid in 2005 and has led the team to a total of seven Drivers' World Championship titles alongside six Constructors' titles since.
It may be remembered that he was behind Sebastian Vettel's four-year run of consecutive championship victories from 2010-2013 before the era of Mercedes dominance. Then, it was Horner and Red Bull that snatched the crown away from Mercedes in 2021, when Max Verstappen claimed the world championship for the first of his three consecutive titles.
In 2023, Red Bull enjoyed record-breaking success by winning 21 out of 22 Grands Prix. Needless to say, they swept both titles very comfortably and they are favourites to dominate the grid once more in the coming season.
However, these allegations come as a big blow to the team while they are at the height of success. Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, was the first to break the news, and media outlets from across the globe are all eager to receive more forthcoming updates.
The team will want to resolve the situation as soon as possible, ideally before the F1 season begins.
Horner is one of the most influential figures on the F1 grid, and he has always had a love him or hate him personality. There have been mixed reactions about the investigation, with various speculations coming out from very serious to quite mundane.
The Briton is also highly regarded in society, having received an OBE in 2013, and a CBE last year following his success with Red Bull in recent seasons.
When it comes to his personal life, Horner is also known for having married former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who often turns up in the paddock to support her husband. She has also made several appearances with Horner in the hit Netflix series "Drive to Survive".
