Christian Horner left his luxury home in Highgate, north London, on Friday to embark on the fight of his life.
It was still dark, just seven in the morning, and the Red Bull team boss was driven in a black BMW sedan to a secret location in the capital to plead his case over a female employee’s claims that he was coercive towards her acted.
He denies all allegations but had to present his case to a QC, who was tasked by the team as an internal investigator to look into the matter.
For the summit, several media were stationed at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes. They would be disappointed.
The meeting would, as we reported on Friday, take place at a neutral location, probably the lawyer’s room.
Red Bull chief Christian Horner faced accusations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ all day
Horner – who is married to former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell – faced the fight of his life on Friday
Horner (pictured with world champion Max Verstappen) is determined to continue in the role he has held for 19 years, winning 13 world titles in that time, both as drivers and as constructors.
The interrogation lasted all day and started at 8:45 am. No decision was made on Friday evening, but several sources claim they want to finalize this before the new car’s launch on Thursday.
Horner has not said anything publicly since the hearing. Other well-informed insiders believe the case will drag on longer in a case of “he says, she says, he says.”
“It will take some time,” said an F1 insider. ‘It’s the first time they’ve spoken to Christian to get his thoughts on it and they need to ask the woman in question to respond. It may take a bit of back and forth to reach a resolution.”
Certainly, there is a desire within Red Bull to resolve the row before the start of the season on March 2 in Bahrain.
Neither Red Bull Racing, which secured Max Verstappen’s entry into the third world championship last year with 19 victories, nor parent company Red Bull GmBH – which is conducting the investigation – were prepared to comment on Friday’s findings.
Horner, 50, husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, is determined to continue in the role he has held for 19 years, winning 13 world titles in both drivers’ and constructors’ races.
A spokesperson for Red Bull GmBH said on Monday: ‘After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company initiated an independent investigation.’
They added: ‘The company takes these matters very seriously.’
Responding to the allegations, Horner said: ‘I completely deny the allegations.’
Red Bull said: ‘After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company initiated an independent investigation. This process is carried out by an external specialist lawyer.
‘The investigation will be completed as quickly as practicable. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
With the new season on the horizon, Red Bull must make a quick decision on Horner’s future
Horner pictured with David Beckham on the grid at the Miami Grand Prix in May 2022
Horner’s backers allege he is a pawn in a broader power struggle within the organization, in a void left by the death of his key ally, Dietrich Mateschitz, the energy drink magnate who founded the company and died in October 2022.
Horner has been a key part of F1 life for more than two decades and a staunch ally of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s former supremo and still a very important figure in any dispute.
Horner is a link to the sport’s heritage and continues to be supported by Ecclestone. Horner remains confident he can retain his position. Others within the sport doubt that.
But it has always been a tribal affair, an ego-based hatred of rivals, and who knows?