Christian Horner investigation: The full timeline of events at Red Bull and what happens next?
Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner, and the subsequent appeal, have ended.
Following a process that took over six months, Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner and the subsequent appeal has come to an end – here’s how it all played out.
Earlier this week, Red Bull confirmed the appeal taken by the employee at the heart of allegations made against Christian Horner had been dismissed – seemingly ending a saga that began during the pre-of for the 2024 championship. Here’s how the whole story has played out.
February 5th: Red Bull confirms investigation into Christian Horner
Just a few days after the bombshell news that Lewis Hamilton would switch to Ferrari for 2025, the off-season came to an abrupt end on February 5th as Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the Formula 1 team, confirmed an internal investigation had been launched against Christian Horner.
The allegations, made by an employee of the F1 team, focused on Horner’s ‘coercive’ behaviour, with the allegations being taken “extremely seriously” by the company.
A statement from Red Bull GmbH to PlanetF1.com was issued: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
“This process, which is already underway, 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.”
According to Dutch publication De Telegraaf, who first reported on the news of the internal investigation, Horner’s response to the allegations was straightforward: “I completely deny these claims.”
Speculation immediately began to swirl about Horner’s future with the team – would he retain the support of Red Bull, and would he be in charge of the F1 team by the time the season began in Bahrain?
February 9th: Christian Horner meets with external barrister
Just four days later, on February 9th, with the investigation having already begun in January, Horner was scheduled to meet with an external barrister appointed by Red Bull GmbH.
The KC appointed met with Horner, with the F1 team boss giving his version of events. Sky Sports journalist Craig Slater reported after that the meeting went on from 10am until 6pm.
“I have been guided away from expecting an outcome to this investigation today,” Slater said on Sky Sports News on Friday morning.
“I think you’re right not to call it a hearing which is what it’s been mostly described as. I think this is more of a meeting and an interview by the investigators with Christian Horner which will be, as I understand it, in a central London location today rather than at the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes. So I’m not expecting an outcome today.
“Clearly [it is] a very significant day. We know that Red Bull is taking this investigation very seriously. There’s an allegation of inappropriate behaviour by Christian Horner by a female member of staff and I understand that relates to controlling and potentially coercive behaviour.
“That’s what we’re looking at here in terms of what Christian Horner is being accused of.
“He has emphatically denied the allegations and is going to work to clear his name but this could be the first step, I’ve been led to understand, in a process which could go on for a while.”
February 15th: Christian Horner faces the media at Red Bull launch
With Red Bull taking the covers from the RB20 at their Milton Keynes headquarters, Horner was present and forefront for the day’s festivities, having also been present for the car’s shakedown at Silverstone.
As reported by PlanetF1.com at the time, Horner had been clearly hit hard by the preceding days – he appeared ashen and almost in shock as he addressed press questions, with none of his usual bonhomie and wit on display.
Speaking to media, including PlanetF1.com, Horner conceded the investigation had been a “distraction.”
“Inevitably there has been a distraction but the team is very together,” he said. “Everybody’s focused on the season ahead. It’s been very much business as normal. The support has been fantastic.”
As to how he felt personally, Horner said he was cooperating fully but trying to focus on the year to come.
“Obviously, my focus is very much on the season ahead. It has been business as normal,” Horner said. “There is an investigation which I am working with fully so that is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead.”
Towards the end of 2023, rumours had emerged about a possible breakdown of the relationship between Horner and Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko – rumours that reared up again at this point, but were swiftly cut down by Horner.
“We’re very united,” he said. “We’ve always had tremendous support from the shareholders since Dietrich [Mateschitz – team founder]’s passing.
“Shareholders have been incredibly supportive and you can see the level of investment. There is a campus here with [Red Bull] Powertrains for the future of Formula 1 and we’re one team.”
February 22nd: Christian Horner addresses media attention in press conference
Called up by the FIA to appear at a team bosses’ press conference during pre-season testing, Horner was asked some pointed questions about the investigation process, including how people could take the investigation “seriously” as he held onto his team boss position rather than being made to “step aside”.
He replied to media, including PlanetF1.com: “As you are well aware, there is a process going on and, as I form part of that process, I’m afraid I cannot comment.”
As for when that verdict will come, the team boss having previously called it a “distraction”, the 50-year-old replied: “Look, I’m totally sorry but I really can’t comment on the process or the timescale.”
Adding that everyone wants it finished “as soon as possible”, he continued “but I’m really not at liberty to comment on the process.”
With F1 and the FIA keeping a watching brief, and the on-track matters paling into insignificance in light of the furore around Horner, Helmut Marko said there would be no rushing for an outcome as due process was followed.
“As you know, this is an internal investigation,” the motorsport advisor told Red Bull’s ServusTV channel.
“The sooner a result is available, the better because of course, rumours and other stories are bound to sprout due to the long duration.
“[But] I think Red Bull has reacted very well in this matter.
“The long duration of this investigation is not their fault. They are endeavouring to [have] a fair investigation and then react accordingly.”
It was at this time that the Associated Press reported that Ford chairman Jim Farley had written to Red Bull about the issue – Ford being a technical partner of the upcoming Red Bull Powertrains project from 2026. AP reported that Ford had become “increasingly frustrated, however, by the lack of resolution or clear indication from you about when you anticipate a fair and just resolution of this matter.
“We are likewise frustrated by the lack of full transparency surrounding this matter with us, your corporate partners, and look forward to receiving a complete account of all findings.”
Zak Brown was another voice calling for transparency on the internal investigation, with the McLaren CEO saying in a press conference: “McLaren holds themselves and all the men and women at McLaren to the highest standards. Obviously, diversity, equality, and inclusion are extremely important to us, our partners, to everyone in Formula 1.
“Red Bull corporation, it appears, has launched an investigation and all we hope and assume is that will be handled in a very transparent way as FIA and Formula 1 has said.
“We need to handle it swiftly because I don’t believe these are the type of headlines that Formula 1 wants or needs at this time.
“I just think it’s important that it’s handled in a transparent way in which there’s no doubt whatsoever that it’s been handled appropriately. And, whatever the conclusion is, that conclusion is handled in an appropriate, transparent, manner.”
February 28th: Red Bull clears Christian Horner after investigation
On the eve of the season-opener in Bahrain, with Horner, his wife Geri, and Red Bull majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya presenting a united front in the F1 paddock, Red Bull GmbH confirmed its findings that Horner had not acted inappropriately and closed its investigation – the KC investigating the issue recommending to the Red Bull board that no action be taken against Horner, citing suspicions of dishonesty.
GmbH said: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr. Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.
“The complainant has a right of appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous, and impartial. The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.”
This outcome met with calls for greater transparency from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who labeled the verdict as “basic” as he spoke at a press conference.
“My personal opinion is we can’t really look at the behind the curtain,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com. “At the end of the day, there is a lady in an organisation that has spoken to HR and said there is an issue and it was investigated and yesterday the sport has received a message ‘it’s all fine. We’ve looked at it.’
“I believe that with the sport as a global sport, on such critical topics, it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is. We are competitors, we are a team and we can have our own personal opinions or not.
“But it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need. We need to assess what is right in that situation, what is wrong.”
With no details being shared by Red Bull, it led Sky F1’s Martin Brundle to question this course of action: “I think the problem of making no comment whatsoever on what may or may not have happened is that mud sticks.
“It’s been a global story, I think it’s been a damaging story for Christian and Red Bull and all of Formula 1.”
As for Horner, having been in the spotlight for the best part of a month, the British team boss was relieved the process had come to an end.
“I’m just pleased that the process is over,” he told Sky Sports on Thursday morning. “I obviously can’t comment about it.
“Here, very much the focus now is on the Grand Prix and the season ahead, and trying to defend both of our titles.”
Asked if he felt this was now the end of the matter, he said: “I can’t give you any further comment but the process has been conducted and concluded.”
February 29th: Anonymous email sent to senior F1 figures and press
Just 24 hours on from the statement from Red Bull GmbH, a sensational leak of information alleging to form evidence behind the investigation poured petrol on the flames – with files including alleged WhatsApp screenshots pertaining to the case – was sent via an anonymous email to members of the media and senior figures within F1.
The leak, which went public during the second practice session, widely circulated online over the minutes left in the session, with Horner quickly leaving the pitlane to cross back to the Red Bull hospitality unit following the chequered flag.
A personal statement from Horner was issued to the media to address the circumstances.
“I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” he said.
“I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.
“It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made. I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”
The email – which offered no evidence as to its authenticity – could only be seen as an attack aimed at humiliating Horner, with Red Bull promptly embarking on an investigation to discover the source of the leak.
The rest of the weekend unfolded in dramatic circumstances, with Jos Verstappen – father of Max – calling for Horner’s job.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” the former F1 driver told Mail Sport. “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.”
He, however, denied suggestions he was behind a campaign to unseat Horner.
“That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?” he said.
With Horner also meeting with F1 and FIA bosses to discuss the situation, he stated there was no danger of him not being in his role by the time of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: “Yeah absolutely, I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
The following days were a maelstrom of meetings as Max Verstappen’s management met with Red Bull shareholders in Dubai, while Verstappen himself said it would be “weird” if he was on the opposite side of his father.
“I was with him [Jos] until yesterday. We speak all the time, we’re a team,” Verstappen said of his father.
“It’s me, my dad, and Raymond [Vermeulen – manager] all together. That will always be like that, also, but I guess he clearly felt like that.
“From my side, it doesn’t matter, being on one side or the other side. As a son of my dad, it’d be weird to be on a different side.
“But, from my side, I just want to focus on the performance side of things.
“I just want to have less talk of what we are doing as a team outside of the track than the actual performance which, at the moment, I think we have a great car and we’re looking forward to a great year.”
More on Christian Horner and Red Bull
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March 7th: Christian Horner accuser suspended by Red Bull Racing
With Horner’s position becoming more and more assured as the days ticked by, the party that began the process by approaching Red Bull GmbH with grievances about Horner was suspended – on full pay – by Red Bull Racing.
The employee in question who had remained in full employment, working with Horner up to and including over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend from the Milton Keynes base, was suspended immediately following the event – this was due to alleged dishonesty through statements made and the evidence presented with internal investigations underway into this, and the source of media leaks throughout the entire investigation.
When approached for comment, a Red Bull spokesperson told PlanetF1.com: “We do not comment on internal employee matters.”
Horner appeared before the media that same day and, unlike his appearance at the team launch in Bahrain, had his fire back as he batted away questions regarding the preceding weeks.
“I’m not going to air all the discussions,” he said, regarding his conversations with Jos Verstappen.
“That’s private between the parties but discussions have inevitably been had and the team is focused on the challenges that are ahead of us and the team is very focused on the season ahead.”
Horner criticised those he perceived as “taking advantage” of what was an internal Red Bull matter and said it was time to “draw a line and move on.”
“The only reason that this has gained so much attention, obviously, is because of the leakage and the tension that there’s been drawn in the media,” he said, “which has been very, very trying, in many respects. Particularly for my family, because it’s all been focused very much in one direction.
“What has happened then after is that others have looked to take advantage of it. Unfortunately, Formula 1 is a competitive business and there have been obviously elements looking to benefit from it. That’s perhaps the not-so-pretty side of our industry.”
Horner also stated he believed it was time to “draw a line under it” and suggested the investigation process was as rigorous as could be.
“Obviously there’s been an awful lot of coverage surrounding this,” the 50-year-old said. “But one has to go back to the basics of a grievance was raised. It was fully investigated, and it was dismissed and from there, we move onwards. I think an awful lot has been made out of this.
“Obviously, it has been of great interest in different elements of the media for different reasons. It was dealt with in the most professional manner by the group, not by Red Bull Racing, but by the owners of Red Bull Racing, Red Bull GmbH.
“They appointed an independent KC, that is one of the most reputable KCs in the land. He took time to investigate fully all of the facts. He interviewed all of the people involved together with others of interest. He looked at everything, he had all of the facts and he came to a conclusion where he dismissed the grievance.
“As far as I’m concerned, as far as Red Bull is concerned, we move on and we look to the future.
“And you know, my wife has been phenomenally supportive throughout this, as has my family, but the intrusion on my family is now enough.”
Speculation also began to swirl about Helmut Marko’s future, with the Austrian not ruling out the possibility that he could be suspended as Red Bull GmbH carried out its own investigations – although subsequent meetings with the shareholders calmed this speculation. Horner also quelled rumours that he and Marko had fallen out, saying: “My relationship with Helmut is no issue. I think that he’s always been outspoken. But that’s Helmut.”
It was around this time that the positions of the shareholders in Red Bull also became clear. While rumours suggested that 51-percent shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya, of Red Bull’s Thai side, had lost faith in Horner, well-placed sources told PlanetF1.com that the opposite was the case – the Austrian and Thai shareholders were in unanimous agreement in their support of Horner.
March 16th: Employee appeals decision made by Red Bull
Nine days following their suspension, the employee at the heart of the allegations lodged an appeal against the outcome of Red Bull GmbH’s verdict.
Separately, the BBC reported the employee had registered a grievance with the FIA’s ethics committee regarding the allegations, with the first complaint made on February 2nd allegedly expressing a fear Red Bull would “cover it up”.
A second complaint on March 6th referenced the first complaint and warned the whistleblower would next inform the media.
A statement from the FIA issued to PlanetF1.com said: “At the FIA, enquiries 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.”
With the lengthy process beginning behind the scenes at Red Bull, the F1 season continued with Horner at the helm of the Red Bull team having seemingly weathered the storm of public criticism and the media spotlight.
August 8th: Red Bull dismisses employee appeal
Over the intervening months, the F1 season has continued as normal, with Horner leading the Red Bull team into the lead of both championships as Max Verstappen closes in on another world title.
Red Bull confirmed the departure of chief technical officer Adrian Newey from his role in a statement issued on May 1st. While speculation had suggested the drama enveloping the team had resulted in a falling out between Newey and Horner after nearly 20 years, Newey made a point of highlighting his personal relationship with Horner and thanked the team boss, and said the drama had only played a small part in his decision to move on – whether that be for a sabbatical or a job elsewhere has not yet been made clear.
Helmut Marko has pledged his commitment to Red Bull Racing, tightening the bond between himself and Horner’s team beyond that of his existing commitment to GmbH, while the possibility of Verstappen leaving for a rival team also appears to have calmed down for the immediate future.
With the initial independent KC having submitted their findings to Red Bull’s board, recommending that no action be taken against Horner having found the evidence presented by the employee to have been dishonest in nature, the separate independent KC appointed for the appeals process came to the same conclusion and made the same recommendation to the Red Bull board.
On Thursday of this week, Red Bull issued a statement confirming the verdict of the appeal.
“Earlier this year a complaint raised against Christian Horner was investigated,” read the statement.
“That complaint was dealt with through the company’s grievance procedure by the appointment of an independent KC who dismissed the grievance.
“The complainant exercised the right to appeal, and the appeal was carried out by another independent KC. All stages of the appeal process have now been concluded, with the final outcome that the appeal is not being upheld.
“The KC’s conclusions have been accepted and adopted by Red Bull. The internal process has concluded.
“The company respects the privacy of all its employees and will not be making further public comment on this matter at this time.
“Red Bull is committed to continuing to meet the highest workplace standards.”
Christian Horner investigation: What happens next?
With the lengthy saga now apparently at an end, the next question mark is over what happens next.
With the employee remaining suspended with full pay, it is difficult – but not impossible – for Red Bull to reinstate them, despite the serious nature of the allegations made against Horner – allegations that have failed to stand up to scrutiny under two separate, independent investigations.
What does seem the more likely outcome is the employee departing Red Bull, although it remains to be seen whether a civil case or employment tribunal is on the cards – as postulated by Sky Sport’s Craig Slater following the verdict.
Just how far is the employee willing to take the matter, given the case rejections following the Red Bull corporation’s investigations?
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