The 2024 F1 season got off to a worst possible start for Red Bull team principal and CEO, Christian Horner. The Briton was placed under investigation by Red Bull GmbH for alleged inappropriate behavior against a female colleague.
Horner was constantly under the media glare during last year’s pre-season period, facing a barrage of questions about the allegations and the investigation. Even though the independent investigation cleared the Red Bull boss of any wrongdoing, Horner couldn’t go about his business as usual during the 2024 season opener in Bahrain.
There was an apparent ‘leak’ where all the F1 team principals and media received an email containing a cache of alleged text messages and photographs implicating Horner. This happened right in the middle of the Bahrain GP weekend.
Speaking about the tumultuous period, the 51-year-old rubbished the claims on the latest season of Drive to Survive (DTS). He even attributed the allegations to a conspiracy to cause disruption.
“It was obviously premeditated to cause me the maximum amount of distraction, the maximum amount of aggravation,” he said on episode one of the seventh season of DTS. Ironically, the episode is titled Business as Usual.
Craig Slater speaks about the investigation into Christian Horner after allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made against the Red Bull team principal. pic.twitter.com/CnmSjNZfk2
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 5, 2024
After the news came out about the allegations raised by the female employee, public opinion turned against Horner, making him the villain immediately. The leaked texts and images didn’t help his cause either, and paddock insiders were even speculating about his exit from the sport.
In the subsequent months, as Horner was absolved from the allegations after the initial investigation, the matter faded away. But he also ensured that no further damage is caused to his reputation by tying the hands of the British media.
British media can’t report on Horner’s ‘inappropriate behavior’ saga
The media rumblings around Horner’s case quickly died down after he was cleared of wrongdoing. Dutch reporter Erik van Haren believes that this might also be because the British media has been banned from deliberating the issue in public.
“Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was acquitted internally twice last year. The employee who filed a complaint has taken further steps. Case before employment judge in January 2026. British media has been banned from reporting on the case for months,” revealed van Haren on X (formerly Twitter).
The reason why British media is constrained from reporting on Horner’s case is due to a Reporting Restriction Order (RRO), such limitations on media coverage are often put in place on sensitive cases in the UK involving public figures. The ban on media coverage was reportedly imposed by the court after a request by Horner’s camp.
This latest revelation that an appeal by the female employee is in process means that the matter will now be tried before a judicial authority in the UK.
For Horner, this would mean that any evidence or allegations will be considered as court documents and sealed from the public domain. The Red Bull boss would welcome that, surely.
