Red Bull Formula 1 team boss Christian Horner will appear before the company’s board on Friday following an unsubstantiated allegation lodged against him.
According to a report by Sky Sports News, Christian Horner and Red Bull GmbH are set to meet on Friday, February 9 to discuss the ongoing probe after a claim was made against him by an employee.
This comes after the parent company of Red Bull Racing acknowledged to Racetrackmasters.com on Monday that they have launched an internal investigation against team principal Horner. However, they did not provide any other information at the moment according to a statement they released.
“After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation,” the statement read. “This process, which is already under way, 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.”
Sources claim that Horner is being investigated over “inappropriate behaviour of a controlling nature.”
Dutch tabloid De Telegraaf quoted Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, stating he categorically refutes the accusations.
The hearing is set to take place at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes factory, according to sources but neither the Austrian energy drink company nor the reigning world champions provided an official confirmation.
Horner will remain as the Red Bull Racing team principal and chief executive as the investigation takes its course.
Last year, Horner and his team recorded the most successful season in Formula 1 history as Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races while Max Verstappen secured his third consecutive championship.
The 50-year old took over Red Bull as it made its F1 debut in 2005 and he was by far the youngest team boss and currently adds up as the longest serving in the sport’s history. The team has claimed seven drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships under his leadership, and they are favorites to dominate this year.
Red Bull Racing is set to reveal their 2024 F1 challenger on February 15 as the official pre-season test will get underway on February 21 in Bahrain and later the opening round on March 2.
The other key figure in the Red Bull paddock is 80-year-old Austrian racing consultant and former racer Helmut Marko, who is not a member of the team and isn’t believed to have any desire to be a figure of authority in the race team.
Marko has also stirred up controversy after the sport’s governing body, the FIA, issued a written warning to him for attributing the team’s Mexican driver Sergio Perez’s inconsistent performance to his ethnicity.
There have been rumors of conflict between Horner and Marko since Austrian Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz passed away in October 2022 and new executives took over.
