The case against Christian Horner, the boss of the Red Bull team since 2005, targeted by an internal investigation for “inappropriate behavior” seems to be growing. According to information from the Dutch daily De Telegraaf, at the origin of the revelation of this affair, the “sexually transgressive” nature of the British manager’s harassment of one of his employees has been proven. The Amsterdam daily reports that Christian Horner sent written messages via Whatsapp with explicit sexual connotations.
The elements published by the Dutch daily must be taken seriously due to the proximity of their specialist Formula 1 reporter with Red Bull, its managers and the Verstappen clan.
According to the Dutch daily, which would have had access to written exchanges between the boss of the F1 team and an employee whose anonymity is preserved for the moment, the content of the Briton’s messages would be described as “transgressive sexual behavior” in terms legal. Another element in evidence, a recurrence in the sending of these messages was also noted.
Red Bull employee reportedly declined offer from Horner’s lawyers
The independent lawyer in charge of investigating this emerging scandal and appointed by the parent company of Red Bull would have obtained these screenshots and would have included them in the file.
Another element which sheds new light on the sequence, it is specified in the Telegraaf article that faced with the allegations against him before publication and this from February 2, Christian Horner’s lawyers would have contacted the plaintiff’s counsel to offer them an amicable settlement, offering the sum of 650,000 pounds, or 760,000 euros; which the opposing party would have refused. She has decided to go to court in England.
So many elements that Christian Horner has, to this day, fiercely denied. Until then, vagueness reigned over the exact content of the criticisms made to the boss of Red Bull – psychological pressure and aggressive management were mentioned – since the revelation of the existence of an internal investigation on February 5.
An affair which risks seriously destabilizing the team
Present in Milton Keynes for the presentation of the RB20, the British manager refused to discuss the matter, just believing “that indeed this story constituted a source of disturbance in the team”. Still confident, Horner undoubtedly felt he would benefit from the support of the Thai Chalerm Yoovidhya. The latter owns 51% of Red Bull and therefore holds the majority. The remaining 49% is owned by Mark Mateschitz, the son of Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in 2022.
Christian Horner is expected at the beginning of next week in Bahrain at the head of his team for the winter tests which are to be held from February 21 to 23. Just one week before the first GP of the 2024 season which will take place on Saturday March 2, still in Bahrain.
Liberty Media, owner of Formula 1, was publicly moved by this scandal requiring a rapid resolution. Now the countdown is on and accelerating. It is becoming difficult to imagine the boss of the Red Bull team still being at the head of his troops next week on the Sakhir circuit for the dress rehearsal before the start of the season. The consequences for Red Bull, reigning manufacturers’ world champion and Max Verstappen drivers’ world champion, could destabilize a team which took the risk of rethinking its car at the start of the season and therefore possibly losing its supremacy.
