According to reports, the female employee who accused Christian Horner of “inappropriate behavior” claims she is “disappointed” and “let down” by Red Bull.
The female employee who accused Red Bull team principal Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour before facing a full-pay suspension feels “let down” by the organization and has been “inundated” with offers to tell her side of the story, according to a friend.
This comes after Horner was cleared of any misconduct following a three-week internal investigation by an independent lawyer. However, a day later, F1 personnel and the media received leaked WhatsApp texts that appeared to have been exchanged between the two parties.
Red Bull has since suspended the woman at the center of the investigation with full pay. Following her suspension, she allegedly received a legal letter informing her that she had conducted herself dishonestly.
Currently, a report from MailOnline describes how the female accuser is feeling right now, having apparently spoken to a friend, and explains that she has decided to appeal the investigation’s outcome.
The woman’s friend claimed that Red Bull’s handling of the incident has left the complainant feeling extremely let down.
“She is so disappointed with how it’s all gone, especially as she did everything by the book,” the friend said. “She raised her concerns in private and did everything right, but she feels very let down by the company.
“They have suspended her when she followed the proper process diligently and correctly. But for all that she was suspended from the job she loves and from a sport that she is highly regarded in.
“The lack of support is noted and she’s just so disappointed with the treatment from her employer.
“Look at what happened. She complained there was a supposedly transparent, independent investigation, Horner was cleared, and she was then suspended.”
Meanwhile, Bull have stayed quiet on the woman’s suspension, only saying: “The company cannot comment on this internal matter.”
The friend went on to say that Red Bull still had a lot of questions to answer about the way they handled the matter. Additionally, they said that the woman had chosen to stay silent for the time being despite being “inundated” with offers to share her side of the story.
Max’s father Jos Verstappen said last week that he sympathized with the female employee who filed the complaint against Horner. He said: “I sympathise with the woman, with all that she went through, but we will see what happens.”
In the same week, Horner—who is married to Spice Girl pop sensation Geri Halliwell—demanded an end to the ongoing drama surrounding Formula 1’s top team, saying, “The intrusion on my family is enough.”
Halliwell attended the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday alongside Horner as a show of solidarity. She also attended the Bahrain Grand Prix a week prior, amid the ongoing conroversy.
The 50-year-old is expected to continue in his role as Red Bull team principal following talks with Red Bull GmbH CEO Oliver Mintzlaff in Jeddah over the weekend. The team’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko will also remain with the team.
Triple world champion Max Verstappen threatened to leave Red Bull if Marko was fired after he handily won the first two races of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
