Now the facts are more detailed, Horner allegedly sent sexual messages to the employee for several months. The internal complaint in the company dates back to December last year, the British manager was heard a few days ago by an independent lawyer hired by the energy drinks group to shed light on the case. To try to silence the affair, Horner, married to former Spice Girls Geri Halliwell, offered the employee a financial settlement of 760 thousand pounds, equal to 760 thousand euros. He has always denied any accusation, explaining that he is cooperating fully with the investigations. The woman could then resort to ordinary justice in England to assert her rights.
Drafts and poisons that form the backdrop to the power war for control of the team and perhaps of the entire company: Horner has the support of the Thai part of Red Bull (i.e. the majority, with 51% of shares), while the Austrian faction linked to Mateschitz’s son, to the super consultant Helmut Marko she went against him. But the question is another: who is Verstappen with? It is said that his father Jos supports the dismissal of the team principal, Max, speaking at the presentation of the RB20 about his relationship with the boss, replied ambiguously: “It’s the same as always…”.
There are a few days left until the start of testing in Bahrain (21-23 February) and less than a month until the first race on the same track in Sakhir (2 March). The team capable of winning everything last year (and the year before) arrives shaken by a case that could have knock-on effects on the internal balance. Even if Horner were to weather the storm by proving his innocence, nothing is ruled out in this matter.
