Christian Horner has been seen leaving home ahead of a crunch hearing tomorrow following an accusation of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ at Red Bull’s Formula One team.
The 50-year-old, who has been Red Bull team boss since 2005, was photographed driving his car away from his property in North London in the rain this morning. It was the first time Horner has been seen since the allegations emerged on Monday.
Red Bull – the Austrian energy drinks company which owns the team – has said it launched an independent investigation after it was made aware of the allegations.
The allegation has been made by another member of staff for the British-based team which last year took Max Verstappen to his third consecutive world championship.
The hearing is expected to take place at Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes. Horner strongly refutes the accusation and said: ‘I completely deny these claims.’
A source within the Red Bull team said the claims related to ‘controlling behaviour’. It is alleged that this was towards a female colleague. Horner has also described the accusations as ‘nuts’, in a message protesting his innocence to MailOnline.
An external English KC lawyer has been appointed to investigate the complaint – made by the woman to the parent firm in Austria rather than the Red Bull team itself.
Red Bull Formula One team boss Christian Horner leaves his home in North London today
Christian Horner is seen this morning driving away from his property in the North London rain
Christian Horner and wife Geri Halliwell at a book launch at the Tower of London last October
Horner’s supporters claim he is a pawn in a wider power struggle at the organisation, in a void that has come about after the death of his main ally, Dietrich Mateschitz, the soft drinks magnate, who died in October 2022.
A friend of Halliwell told MailOnline that she is ‘devastated’ over the allegations but will stand by him in public.
Horner has been team principal at Red Bull since their entry into F1 19 years ago, overseeing seven drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.
Red Bull won 21 of the 22 rounds staged last year, with Verstappen setting a record of 10 consecutive victories as he cruised to his third title in as many years.
Horner was awarded a CBE for his services to motorsport in the New Year Honours List. He and Halliwell married in 2015 and have one child together, seven-year-old Montague.
Red Bull are due to launch their latest car on February 15 ahead of the new season which starts in Bahrain on March 2.
A spokesperson for Red Bull said on Monday: ‘After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner and his wife Geri Halliwell at the Monaco Grand Prix last May
Halliwell and Horner at the Larkhill Royal Artillery Point to Point in Wiltshire on January 27
Horner with Red Bull’s Formula One champion Max Verstappen in Qatar on October 7 last year
‘This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister.
‘The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.’
Horner and his team celebrated the most dominant season in Formula One history last year, with Dutch driver Max Verstappen taking his third title in a row and Red Bull winning 21 of 22 races.
The Briton is the longest serving team boss in Formula One and was by far the youngest when he led Red Bull into the sport in 2005.
Under him, the team have won six constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles and are favourites for another season of domination.
Should Horner have to stand down, the effect on the sport would be seismic.
Christian Horner with David Beckham on the grid at the Miami Grand Prix in May 2022
Christian Horner, pictured with Prince Harry before the Texas Grand Prix in October last year
Horner and Halliwell meet then-Prince Charles at a Prince’s Trust event in London in 2019
Red Bull’s other main man in the paddock is Austrian motorsport consultant and former racer Helmut Marko, who is now 80 years old, not a team employee and not believed to have any leadership ambitions.
Marko has also been controversial, receiving a written warning from the sport’s governing body last September after he blamed the patchy form of the team’s Mexican driver Sergio Perez on his ethnicity.
There have been reports of friction between Horner and Marko since the death in October 2022 of Red Bull’s Austrian co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz and the arrival of new leadership at the energy drink brand.
Williams team boss James Vowles said: ‘The sport, wind back 20 years, (was) male-dominated without question. If you had to ask me what made up a team, it would be white, more than likely male, more likely 40 years old. That’s changing and it’s only a positive that it’s changing.
‘These allegations are allegations. I’m afraid I don’t have any understanding of what is behind them and the significance of what has happened.
‘Should this ever happen on our guard (at Williams) we’ll be supportive in terms of fixing it and making sure we have a culture accepting of everyone.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13060267/christian-horner-spotted-time-red-bull-north-london.html
