Red Bull may have had an outstanding start to pre-season testing in Bahrain on Wednesday, but the spotlight remains on team principal Christian Horner. The Briton is under investigation by Red Bull GmbH over alleged “inappropriate behavior” towards a female employee. As the investigation against him continues, one of Max Verstappen’s sponsors, Viaplay, has made a startling revelation.
Viaplay recently provided some insight about the fate Horner is likely to face in the coming week. Their pit reporter, Mervi Kallio, said that Red Bull GmbH will likely conclude its investigation by next week.
Kallio added that things are not looking good for Horner, who is already set to leave the team. As quoted by the Finnish website Ilta Sanomat, the report stated, “Kallio later clarified that, according to his information, the matter will be announced possibly already on the first day of the test or during the coming week.”
Since Viaplay has been one of Verstappen’s major sponsors since 2022, they perhaps have some inside information about Red Bull Gmbh’s ongoing investigation. However, at the same time, it’s pertinent to note that the reporter made it clear that the information isn’t confirmed.
Why is Christian Horner being investigated for “inappropriate behavior“?
February has been a difficult month for Red Bull because of the off-track events surrounding team principal Christian Horner. It has been over two weeks since the team’s parent company launched an investigation against Horner for alleged “inappropriate behavior.”
The Austrian multinational company began this investigation after they received a complaint from a female employee. Red Bull GmbH has hired an independent legal expert and is thoroughly investigating the matter.
When Horner was quizzed about the same, he vehemently denied all the allegations against him. The British boss labeled the investigation a mere “distraction” for his side.
He clarified that he is not guilty of any wrongdoing and hopes the investigation against him will conclude as soon as possible. Although Horner pleaded innocent, it is still shocking that Red Bull has not asked him to step aside until their investigation concludes.
Horner wasn’t only present for the team’s car launch last week and during the first day of pre-season testing. If the investigation carries on for another week, Horner could also be present for the first race in Bahrain. The Bahrain Grand Prix will take place from February 29 to March 2.
