THE final decision on Christian Horner’s Red Bull probe could be set to come out as early as next week.
Ford have put pressure on their future partners at Red Bull Racing to investigate the outcome “seriously but quickly”, meaning Horner could find out his fate much sooner than originally expected, say reports.
Ford will be partners with Red Bull Racing from 2026 as the team’s engine supplier but sources say they could walk away from the deal in wake of the allegations and if things aren’t dealt with soon.
The Financial Times reported this week that a private letter from the US carmaker to the owner of the F1 team allegedly urged Red Bull to be fully open in its findings, according to two people around Ford.
They claim Ford didn’t apply any pressure for a certain outcome to be reached but did stress that it expects the investigation to be done seriously but quickly.
But it is now believed that the decision around Horner’s future will be settled soon with The Times reporting that Red Bull have a desire to speed up the process and end the disruption around the team.
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Meaning the outcome could be revealed as early as “this week”.
The media have focused on the allegations since they came out with Horner being quizzed by journalists at the recent Red Bull launch event over his alleged conduct.
The media frenzy around Horner has been seen as a distraction at Red Bull as they look to retain their constructors title for 2024/25 and help World Champion Max Verstappen break even more records.
Horner – who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – has said to be hoping the investigation is resolved within the next week — when the team will fly to Bahrain for pre-season testing.
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He is said to be happy to cooperate with the investigation for as long as necessary, including answering more questions from an independent lawyer which could include another long grilling.
Mark Rushbrook, head of Ford Motorsport released a statement on Friday to the Associated Press saying: “As a family company, and a company that holds itself to very high standards of behaviour and integrity, we do expect the same from our partners.
“It appears to us, and what we’ve been told, was that Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously. And of course, they’re worried about their brand, as well.
“And that’s why they’ve got an independent investigation and until we see what truth comes out of that, it’s too early for us to comment on it all.”
Red Bull opened up a serious investigation into the shock allegations by a female employee but fresh claims allege Horner also sent her “sexually suggestive” texts.
Horner — who has denied all of the allegations so far — was originally only under investigation over alleged controlling behaviour at work.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, claimed to have seen messages at the heart of the probe and have alleged they were “sexually orientated”.
So far, neither Horner or the woman have been suspended and have continued to work among 1,500 staff at Red Bull Racing’s British HQ in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
Horner publicly addressed the allegations against him for the first time at the launch of the RB20 this week.
He said: “Inevitably there has been a distraction, but the team are very together.
“Everybody’s focused on the season ahead, so it’s been very much business as normal and the support has been fantastic.
“In situations like these, you see where the strengths are, and it’s been overwhelming the support that I’ve had from within the team.
“There have been some allegations made, which I fully deny, so that the investigation is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead, and hopefully it will be concluded in the near future.”
Many felt the probe would drag on for weeks as Red Bull conducted a thorough investigation.
One source even claimed the investigation is nowhere near its end – with it potentially dragging into the new F1 season on March 2.
The insider said: “This is not a trial and we are not going to have an answer and an outcome by the end of the day.
“This is not something that is going to be rectified that quickly.
“People are expecting this to be over before the start of the F1 season, but that just isn’t going to happen.”
It comes as…
WHAT HAS BEEN CLAIMED?
F1 was rocked earlier this month by the sudden news that the sport’s longest-standing team principal had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
This was thought to be over a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one female, The Telegraph reported.
Red Bull’s Austrian parent company flew an independent lawyer to the UK to question the multi-millionaire race ace and his accuser.
The former racing driver, who runs world champion Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team, endured an eight-hour grilling over the claims last week.
Most recently however, more allegations have come out as the De Telegraaf reported that Horner allegedly sent sex messages to his employee “over an extended period of time”.
Messages were said to have been saved and presented as evidence to the external barrister running the inquiry after the woman made a complaint last December.
De Telegraaf also claimed Horner’s lawyers tried to settle the case with a payment — and that senior Red Bull management were aware of his offer.
Mr Horner categorically denied the new allegations and is thought to be taking legal action against De Telegraaf.
An F1 source told The Sun last week that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
The investigation raises the question of who could take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of world champion Max Verstappen.
His wife Geri Halliwell is also said to be “terrified her life will unravel” amid Horner’s “inappropriate behaviour” probe.
The ex-Spice Girl, who was “in floods of tears” when the Red Bull boss was hit with the bombshell allegations, fears the drama will drag on for years, a source has claimed.
But Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by her husband.
She has told pals: “Christian has done nothing wrong.”
Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
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Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motorsport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
Christian Horner’s life and career
CHRISTIAN Horner is among the most well-known names in Formula One having helped build Red Bull into one of the biggest teams in the sport.
1973 – Born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
1991 – Wins a Formula Renault scholarship after impressing in karting races
1993-1997 – Competed in a host of competitions including British Formula Three, British Formula Two, and Formula 3000
1997 – Founded and developed the F3000 team Arden
1999 – Retired from driving and continued developing the Arden team
2005 – Appointed head of Red Bull team, becoming the youngest ever team principal at that time
2009 – Wins his first races as team principal with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber
2010 – Wins the Constructors’ Championship and Drivers’ Championship with Vettel – the first of four doubles in a row
2013 – Has a daughter with ex-wife Beverly Allen shortly before the couple split
2014 – Gets engaged to Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell
2015 – Marries Halliwell in Woburn, Bedfordshire
2017 – Horner and Halliwell welcome their son
2021 – Wins another Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen, pipping Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
