Christian Horner has recently issued a fresh statement following his arrival in Bahrain.
In his first public address since the emergence of a folder purportedly containing messages and photographs leaked to the press, the Red Bull team principal has vehemently refuted accusations of misconduct leveled against him from the outset.
Moreover, he received an exoneration for any wrongdoing on Wednesday. Red Bull GmbH enlisted the services of an independent barrister to aid in a comprehensive investigation into Horner following a complaint lodged by a female staff member against the 50-year-old.
Throughout the inquiry, Horner maintained his regular Formula One responsibilities, participating in the RB20 launch in Milton Keynes and attending three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
His return journey to the Middle East was reportedly underway when news broke on Wednesday that the multi-billion-dollar beverage company had absolved him of any wrongdoing and dismissed the complaint.
However, merely a day later, journalists received a Google Drive folder from an unidentified source, alleging that its contents comprised WhatsApp messages and photographs purportedly sent by Horner to an unnamed employee.
Red Bull has reached out to Horner for a response. Now, Horner has addressed the issue again, reiterating his position regarding the complaint.
Horner stated; “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations, 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.”
Horner and his associates at Red Bull have a mere two days left before the start of the 2024 season in Bahrain. Two other Formula One team principals, Toto Wolff and Zak Brown, have been outspoken in their demands for increased transparency regarding the investigation.
Red Bull’s statement on Wednesday read: “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.”
