Red Bull’s inquiry into Christian Horner’s conduct may be expedited to reach a conclusion by the end of next week, as per reports.
The 50-year-old is under investigation over allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which he vehemently denies following a complaint from a female colleague to Red Bull’s parent company in Austria.
A fresh allegation has surfaced from a Dutch newspaper, potentially exacerbating the crisis at Red Bull just weeks before the commencement of the new season.
The reigning champions are now aiming for a swift resolution to the saga in the upcoming days, according to The Times, with Red Bull’s leadership seeking to hasten the investigation process.
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Initial reports suggested that the inquiry might extend beyond next month’s Bahrain Grand Prix, with Horner expected to undergo further rounds of questioning following intense scrutiny by a senior lawyer last week.
However, there is now purportedly a strong desire within Red Bull to expedite the process.
Horner, who has been with Red Bull since their entry into F1 in 2005, is believed to have engaged legal counsel to contest the latest allegation.
Nonetheless, the accusation appears to have done little to allay concerns about his future, which reportedly hangs in the balance.
In the midst of this, Horner faced questions about his future at Red Bull’s season launch event on Thursday, stating: “The support from within the business, of our partners, within the industry, has been overwhelming.
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“Obviously there’s a process that’s ongoing at the moment, some allegations have been made which I fully deny and I’m complying obviously with that process and will continue to do so until its conclusion.
I think it’s been very clear and the position of Red Bull has been that it’s business as usual.
“Of course, the allegations are a process that Red Bull are running through and have confirmed that process externally, but obviously there’s a job to do and I deny fully the accusations that have been made, and my role obviously continues.”