Red Bull F1 team principal, Christian Horner, has vehemently denied allegations of inappropriate behavior, prompting the initiation of an internal investigation by the Red Bull organization.
The accusations, characterized as “serious,” emerged following a report by F1-Insider, who revealed that an employee had leveled complaints against Horner.
Specifically, it was reported by The Times that a female staff member had alleged “inappropriate, controlling behavior” on the part of Horner.
The complaint was submitted to Red Bull Austria, the parent company of the Formula 1 team.
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The revelation of these allegations came as a shock to the team’s staff, as they had been unaware of the ongoing investigation.
The employee who filed the complaint opted to involve Red Bull Austria rather than the F1 team itself, likely due to Horner’s position as team principal.
The alleged incident occurred during the Hahnenkamm ski race in Kitzbühel, an event attended by other Formula 1 team bosses such as Toto Wolff and Zak Brown, as reported by F1-Insider.
Red Bull, in response to these allegations, released a statement to F1-Insider stating that they have initiated an independent investigation led by an external specialist barrister.
The company emphasized the gravity of the matter and pledged to expedite the investigation process, but refrained from making further comments at this time.
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These developments coincide with Red Bull’s plans to unveil their 2024 F1 car on February 15, just a week before the commencement of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
The highly anticipated season opener, the Bahrain Grand Prix, is scheduled for March 2.
In light of the seriousness of the allegations and the potential impact on the team’s operations and image, the Formula 1 community awaits the outcome of the internal investigation with keen interest.