The 2024 Formula 1 racing season only officially began on March 2, but there’s a scandal already pulling focus from the season’s 24-race lineup. Christian Horner, head of the Red Bull F1 team, has been accused of misconduct by a team employee and had a bevy of sexually suggestive messages leak over the past few weeks. Below, find everything you need to know about the still-developing situation:
Who is Christian Horner?
Horner is a British motorsport executive and former racing driver who has led the Red Bull Formula 1 team since 2005. Horner is also the husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who appeared by his side at F1’s Bahrain Grand Prix this month even as Horner’s messages were leaking. The two have been married since 2015 and have a young son.
What has Horner been accused of?
Early in February of 2024, reports surfaced that a female Red Bull employee told the organization’s parent company that Horner had engaged in “inappropriate, controlling behavior.” Red Bull conducted an internal investigation and formally cleared Horner on February 28, but a mere day later, a flood of sexually suggestive texts and photos allegedly sent between Horner and his accuser were leaked to prominent F1 officials. Jos Verstappen, a former racing driver and the father of opening-season Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen, then told the Daily Mail that he felt Horner should be removed from his position, saying: “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim when he is the one causing the problems.”
How has Formula 1 responded?
The FIA (or Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the governing body of motorsports, put out a statement in (partial) response to the formal complaint lodged with its ethics committee by Horner’s accuser. The statement, which was released this week, read: “At the FIA, [inquiries] and complaints are received and managed by the Compliance Officer, and the Ethics Committee where appropriate. Both bodies operate autonomously, guaranteeing strict confidentiality throughout the process. As a consequence, and in general, we are unable to confirm the receipt of any specific complaint and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide further comment on the complaints that we may receive from any parties.”
Why was Horner’s accuser suspended from Red Bull?
On March 7, it was reported that Red Bull had allegedly suspended the female employee who had accused Horner of misconduct with full pay. (A spokesperson for Red Bull merely called it an “internal matter” and declined to comment further.) Horner’s accuser has reportedly appealed the decision made by Red Bull’s investigation into the allegations.
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