Christian Horner has been the subject of an internal investigation initiated by Red Bull GmbH after allegations of inappropriate behavior were made public against him by the Dutch morning newspaper, De Telegraaf. A female employee at Red Bull Racing has reportedly accused Horner of controlling and coercive behavior. While Horner has strongly denied the claims, Red Bull has maintained its position through their statement that they are taking the matter very seriously and will decide Horner’s future in the team depending on the outcome of the investigation. However, according to a recent report from FormulaPassion.it, Bernie Ecclestone has hinted that Horner is the victim of an internal power struggle within Red Bull.
“I believe that within Red Bull there is someone who wants to oust Horner,” Ecclestone told AFP news agency in an interview. “Mateschitz’s death has created a vacuum and a reshuffle at the top management level. A favorable situation for those who have ambitions to climb the hierarchies of the Red Bull organization chart. When you have great success, it is normal to have many enemies. What I think Horner has to do is keep his head down and continue a job that has brought success not only to Red Bull but to the whole F1 world.”
Craig Slater reports that Christian Horner is present at today's Red Bull shakedown, and is expected to attend the team's car launch this week.
The investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Horner is continuing, and could take "some weeks" to conclude. pic.twitter.com/iTwEAfgTWw
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 13, 2024
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Christian Horner was recently interviewed by the lawyers looking over the investigation on Friday at an unknown location in central London. The session which supposedly lasted over 8 hours was initially thought to bring a conclusion to the matter. However, it is now being reported that the interrogation on Friday was only a small part of a long process that could take weeks to reach a conclusion. The lawyers, who now have Horner’s side of the story, will supposedly interview other members of the team as well to verify if Horner told the truth.
Despite the ongoing investigation. Horner continues to carry out the duties as the team principal of Red Bull Racing.
Christian Horner is expected to attend the 2024 car launch event
Red Bull is set to launch their 2024 challenger, the RB20, today, February 15th. Yesterday, the team took part in a shakedown at Silverstone in wet conditions. Christian Horner was present trackside as the team ran laps with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. However, Horner is expected to make his first public appearance at the launch event since the allegations were made against him last Monday.
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🚨 Higher quality video of the RB20 at today's Silverstone shakedown
[📽️: @UkOwners] pic.twitter.com/RBoaQ1utXg
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) February 13, 2024
While it’s not certain whether or not he will directly address the allegations during interviews at the car launch, Horner’s presence is likely to draw a lot of attention. And even though he might not be able to offer any insights into the ongoing investigation, people will be eager to hear him for the first time since last Monday.
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If Bernie Ecclestone is right in suggesting that people inside Red Bull want to oust Christian Horner, should he continue to fight to clear his name or should he let it go to prevent even more possible damage to his reputation? Share your insights in the comments below.