Red Bull has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season as they proceeded to succeed in Japan, but Christian Horner responded coldly to a journalist after he was questioned about his female assistant.
Red Bull had every cause to celebrate big after Max Verstappen’s dominant performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he took first place and Sergio Perez finished in second. This victory represented a major comeback for the Austrian team following a dismal result in Australia.
However, just as the champagne was all over the place, team boss Christian Horner was once again sucked back to the crushing reality after he faced questions that deviated from his team’s impressive performance.
Horner was unavoidably subjected to a lot of questions about the still-pending allegations against him.
The story—which involves a female employee at the center of a dispute involving claims of improper behavior—made a return to the spotlight after a report from the BBC uncovered the employee’s current emotional distress.
Anonymous comments should always be regarded with precaution. However, a friend of the employee was quoted in this reliable source’s account stating: “It’s impossible for people to understand what it’s like for her.
“She can’t talk and she won’t talk. But I can tell you what it is doing to her. Every time I have asked her something, she breaks down in tears and says she’s got no-one to talk to because she’s not allowed to talk.
“She is very upset, very angry, very scared, very intimidated, very lonely. And I think it’s impossible for people to understand without being in her shoes what it’s like for her.”
Horner’s response to a question about this has always been brief and to the point: “No.”
The situation was further complicated when it was revealed by the BBC that the female employee’s departure from the team was covered by a confidentiality agreement, and it’s still unclear exactly what conditions she consented to.
In response to a question about the matter that caught him off guard, Horner disclosed that his personal assistant Nicole Carling had been temporarily reinstated back to the Red Bull team.
“Yes. I’m surprised that I’m talking about my assistant in a briefing. But, yes, my assistant of 15 years is in a temporary supporting position,” he said, quoted by GPBlog.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that Horner has emphatically denied the allegations, and an internal inquiry conducted by an impartial third party on behalf of Red Bull cleared the team boss of any misconduct even as the story continues to develop.
As reported by Sky Sports, a statement from Red Bull GmbH confirmed this: “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.”
As Red Bull looks to claim another title, Horner will be trying to keep clear of any more distractions throughout the rest of the season as the next race is scheduled for Sunday, April 21, at the Chinese GP. He will also be considering how his team could potentially look next season as Perez’s contract is slated to expire at the end of the current season.
