Christian Horner has spoken for the first time since the Red Bull employee who accused him of inappropriate behaviour was suspended by the team.
Christian Horner acknowledged that it has been difficult to deal with rumors regarding his investigation into allegations of misconduct and he remains firm in denying any wrongdoing even after Red Bull suspended his female accuser.
Horner also slammed Jos Verstappen for being overly involved with Red Bull following Max Verstappen’s father’s demand for the team principal to step down due to accusations of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” by a female employee.
This comes after messages alleged to have been sent by Horner to the unidentified lady were later leaked to staff on the F1 paddock a day after the internal investigation was dismissed.
Jos wasn’t present to see Max dominate the first practice at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after their private altercation with Horner in Bahrain went viral as he was pushing for his resignation.
Although Horner is certain that his star driver would stick with the team until his contract expires in 2028, it is believed that Verstappen’s agents are in talks with Mercedes on a possible switch for 2025 as his contract allows him to leave the team if Helmut Marko leaves.
Horner – who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, with whom he has a seven-year-old son and is stepfather to her daughter from a previous marriage – said “the intrusion on his family is enough” after Red Bull suspended his female accuser.
“Well look, obviously it’s been a very trying period,” the 50-year-old said. “I’m married and have three children, and when that intrusion involves your children, and your marriage – and I’m very thankful I have a beautiful family and a very supportive wife.
“I’m the only one that has been named in this. So of course it’s very trying, it’s very challenging. Because when there’s children involved when there’s families, parents, etc, involved, it’s not pretty.”
Horner continued by saying he was unable to comment on the team employee’s suspension for triggering the allegations. However, he was also questioned about whether he regretted the controversy for undermining Red Bull and Formula One’s reputation.
“There’s been an awful lot of you know, coverage surrounding this,” he added. “But one has to go back to the basis of a grievance was raised. It was fully investigated, and it was dismissed.
“And from there, we move onwards, and I think an awful lot has been made out of this.
“It has been obviously of great interest in different elements of the media for different reasons. I think the time now is to look forward and to draw a line under it.
“We’re here to go racing we’re here as an F1 team and the time now is to focus on what is going on on track and the performance of the cars and the drivers and where the spotlight should be during the course of a grand prix weekend.”
Horner was supported by the Yoovidhya family, who own the majority of Red Bull GmbH, the F1 team’s parent company at the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend. However, rumours about the severity of the internal conflict at Red Bull Racing continues.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” Jos Verstappen told the Daily Mail after the Bahrain GP. “The team is in danger of being torn apart.
“It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”
The team principal was questioned on whether Max’s father is too involved at Red Bull, given that Marko might be crucial to Max Verstappen’s continued stay there and that the team advisor might be more in line with Jos than Horner.
“Obviously, Max’s father has played a key role in his career and getting him to F1,” Horner added. “But obviously Jos is own man, Max is his own man as well.
“And we’ve seen him go from being a teenager when he joined us to now very much a young man that’s achieved what he has.
“So you know, it’s not for me to comment on relationships between between fathers and drivers. They’re all unique between the different individuals.”
