The atmosphere around Red Bull has been chaotic in the last month. The investigation surrounding Christian Horner for inappropriate behavior has caused quite a stir within the F1 community. So far, Christian Horner has denied all allegations against him and the company is continuing the investigation.

Previous updates state that the case might stretch into the beginning of the 2024 season. But what surprised the world was when Horner was present at the Red Bull car launch. After the car launch, a recent update from the F1’s commercial rights holders gave a time frame by when this will be solved.

FIA looks into the Red Bull case

The Red Bull investigation was said to go on beyond the first race or two of the 2024 season. But the new update as reported by Motorsport comes directly from the F1’s commercial rights holders in a statement saying that they hope that Red Bull handles the situation before the season starts on March 2 with the Bahrain GP.

The statement read, “We are aware that Red Bull has launched an independent investigation into the internal allegations at Red Bull Racing.” After acknowledging the situation, they shared, “We hope that this matter will be clarified as soon as possible, after a fair and thorough process, and we will not be commenting further at this time.”

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While F1 has urged for the matter to be resolved soon, they do not have the formal authority to take action against Christian Horner or Red Bull. That power lies solely with the FIA. According to Article 12.2.1f of the International Sporting Code, it hold the competitor guilty of infringement if, “Any word, act or writing which has caused moral damage or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its managers, and more generally to the interests of motorsport and the values ​​defended by the FIA”. With this, we can expect a resolution for the investigation at the earliest, and with the pressure from F1, it can likely be before the team takes to the tracks in the upcoming season.

If Horner is found guilty, he will have to leave his seat. And that brings up the interesting question of who would be called in to take the position.

Who can potentially replace Christian Horner?

With the resolution coming near, many are wondering if Red Bull will replace Horner with a new team boss. With the investigation not yet concluded, it is uncertain that Horner gets to keep his seat, but in the chance that he is replaced, there are two candidates that can fit the role well.

If Red Bull plans on keeping things in the team, one of the best candidates is Jonathan Wheatley. With experience in Red Bull, and currently Sporting Director, he has the needed expertise of handling the team. While he is a great option, he can be considered on an interim basis until they find a more permanent role.

Another great option would be Oliver Oakes—currently the leader of junior formula competitor Hitech GP. In the past, he has been a part of the Red Bull junior team setup and has a good relationship with the team. With experience in Karting, he tried to get Hitech onto the grid, but only to be turned down by the FIA. That being said, having him as the new team principal would give him an important role in Formula 1.

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That being said, do you think Horner is innocent and he will continue as the team boss or be replaced after the final decision of the investigation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.