Formula 1
Christian Horner, Max Verstappen’s team boss at Red Bull Racing, has been acquitted of charges of misconduct. The team announced this.
Christian Horner was acquitted on Wednesday of the allegations made against him in recent weeks. The 50-year-old Briton, married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was accused of inappropriate behavior towards a female employee. Depending on the source, this ranged from a dictatorial management style to sending dick pics, although none of that is very clear. According to De Telegraaf, the Dutch newspaper that initially broke the story, Horner had also offered the woman in question 800,000 euros to withdraw the allegations.
An internal investigation was underway into the matter: Red Bull’s mother house in Austria engaged a neutral lawyer to hear all parties. Red Bull Racing now reports that the lawyer has finished his work and has concluded that Horner is not guilty.
It said: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the complaint has been dismissed. The complainant has the right to appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation was conducted fair, rigorous and impartial. The report is confidential and contains private information about the parties and third parties who participated in the investigation. As a result, we will make no further comment, out of respect for all involved. Red Bull continues to strive for the highest standards in the workplace.”
It is unclear what to do next. The secretary in question can still take legal action. It is certain that Horner flew to Bahrain this morning with his private plane, but he has not yet arrived at the circuit. The question is how he can continue to function after this openly internal war, because it is clear that people within the team have pushed hard to get him out.
