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0 The worker who accused Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour has been suspended, a person with information on the matter has told The Associated Press.
Shortly after the news broke overnight, Horner called for people to “move on” from the issue, insisting “the intrusion on my family is now enough”.
The team’s parent company, energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull GMBh, dismissed the allegations late last month, allowing Horner to stay in his role and closing an investigation that overshadowed the sport’s off-season.
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But the drama continued to roil the competition over its opening weekend in Bahrain, when a file alleged to contain evidence of WhatsApp messages presented against Horner was emailed to nearly 200 people in the F1 paddock.
The messages have not been independently verified. Horner overnight blamed “leakage” for driving much of the intense media interest in the story.
Today’s reports, by the AP, Press Association and Sky News UK, indicate the female worker has been suspended on full pay as a result of the investigation and has five working days to appeal the outcome.
Red Bull Racing’s parent company didn’t immediately answer a request seeking comment.
Horner was repeatedly asked about the reports at the FIA press conference in Jeddah yesterday afternoon (overnight AEDT) ahead of the weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
He said he couldn’t comment because of company-worker confidentiality.
The team principal said the saga had been “very, very trying”, particularly for his family and accused unnamed figures in the industry of looking to “take advantage” of the situation.
“Unfortunately Formula One is a competitive business and there’s been, obviously, elements have looked to benefit from it, and that’s perhaps the not so pretty side of our industry,” he said.
The Red Bull Racing boss, who has always denied the allegations, was at pains to stress the independence of the investigation by the team’s parent company, saying it was carried out by “one of the most reputable KCes [King’s Counsel barrister] in the land”.
“He looked at everything; he had all of the facts, and he came to a conclusion where he dismissed the grievance,” Horner said.
“As far as I’m concerned, as far as Red Bull is concerned, we move on and we look to the future.
“And you know, my wife has been phenomenally supportive … but the intrusion on my family is now enough. And we need to move forward and to focus on what we’re here for.”
Announcing the result of the investigation late last month, Red Bull GMBh said it was confident the investigation was “fair, rigorous and impartial”.
Earlier this week, champion driver Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, called for Horner to step down to protect the team’s stability.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”
The younger Verstappen defended his father’s comments yesterday, saying he’s “not a liar”.
Speaking overnight, Horner said he was focusing on getting the best out of the team’s cars and his star driver.
“I spoke to Jos following the Grand Prix,” he said.
“And obviously congratulated on his son’s performance, and I think it’s in everybody’s interest collectively that, that we’ve agreed to move on to focus on the future.”
– Reported with Associated Press
