Following weeks of speculation, Christian Horner has officially been cleared of any wrongdoing. A prolonged internal inquiry led to Red Bull GmbH freeing him of all charges, after a female employee accused him of improper behavior last month. The final report of the investigation remains confidential to protect the privacy of all parties involved. However, as many as 150 F1 personnel and journalists, including those at The Race, have received a mail allegedly containing evidence from the investigation.
While the credibility of the photos remains up for debate, the sheer volume of them is staggering. As many as 79 screengrabs are a part of the viral mail. FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicalli are recipients of the mail too. Additionally, representatives of the remaining nine teams also received the same mail. As for Red Bull, Jos Verstappen was the only person within the team to receive it.
Christian Horner has issued a statement that he “won’t comment on anonymous speculation” after material purporting to be evidence from the investigation into his behaviour was circulated to Formula 1 figures #F1https://t.co/2mIvmVfj69
— Chris Medland (@ChrisMedlandF1) February 29, 2024
The FIA and F1 are yet to comment on the leak, while a statement came forth on Horner‘s behalf. It reiterated the denial of all claims. Additionally, the statement claimed Horner complied with the investigation and cooperated every step of the way. The investigation was thorough and fair, per the statement, and Horner is now shifting his focus to the first race of the season.
Journalist Julianne Cerasoli reported on X about various media outlets receiving threats from lawyers.
Agora, meio de comunicação ingleses estão recebendo o recado de advogados do país dizendo que, se publicarem o conteúdo do que recebemos hoje, serão processados.
Essa história ainda vai longe…
— Julianne Cerasoli (@jucerasoli) February 29, 2024
Per Cerasoli, English lawyers are reaching out to media outlets in the country to tell them will be sued if they publish content related to the leak. Meanwhile, another update suggests the FIA and F1 management are currently discussing the nature of the leaks.
Team Principals want clarity on the Christian Horner investigation
After nearly eight weeks of allegations, speculations, and investigation, Red Bull found an end to this saga. Refraining from sharing any information, there are concerns in the paddock of them sweeping things under the carpet. Given the same, they called on Liberty Media and FIA to ensure things proceeded in an unbiased and fair manner.
| According to the BBC, the leaked messages have been brought to the attention of governing body the FIA and it is discussing the matter with F1 management.#F1 pic.twitter.com/Rs1uIgrkiU
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) February 29, 2024
For Toto Wolff, the statement was “pretty basic.” He claimed that they couldn’t look at anything behind the curtain. Wolff added there should be much more transparency within the sport, especially in such critical matters. Meanwhile, Zak Brown commented that the vague nature of the statement still left a lot of questions. He claimed the sanctioning body had a responsibility towards the sport. Brown further claimed the body needs to ensure full transparency in such instances.
With F1 aiming to become a global phenomenon, safety in the workplace is a basic requirement. Transparency and accountability play key roles in ensuring the credibility of the sport. Furthermore, with increased calls for female inclusivity in F1 and motorsports, creating a safe environment should be a top priority for the management.
