- Formula 1’s official X account calls Lewis Hamilton ‘the center of attention’
- Christian Horner remains at the center of a scandal surrounding leaked texts
Formula 1’s official
The 2024 World Championship gets underway in Bahrain on Saturday, with Max Verstappen looking to equal Hamilton’s career best of four consecutive drivers’ titles after a dominant campaign last season.
The Briton got off to a great start in practice on Thursday, topping the list with teammate George Russell in second place.
However, the attention of the sport as a whole remains firmly focused on the ongoing scandal involving long-time Red Bull boss Horner.
WhatsApp messages, many of them of a sexual nature, allegedly between the Red Bull team boss and a close female associate, were leaked earlier this week ahead of the Grand Prix.
Formula 1’s official X account called Lewis Hamilton the ‘center of attention’ after a successful practice session
The 39-year-old topped the charts on Thursday, with Mercedes teammate George Russell in second place
Horner was cleared of ‘coercive conduct’ in an internal investigation conducted by Red Bull’s parent company, and the 50-year-old insisted he would not comment on the renewed speculation.
“I will not comment on anonymous speculation, but I repeat: I have always denied the allegations,” Horner said in a statement.
‘I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and cooperated fully every step of the way.
‘It was a thorough and fair investigation, carried out by an independent, specialist lawyer, and the conclusion is that the complaint submitted has been dismissed.
‘I remain fully focused on the start of the season.’
Hoorner was involved in practice sessions in Bahrain before qualifying started on Friday, spending time with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen and his father Jos in a catering area on the Bahrain circuit.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding Red Bull director Christian Horner continues
The show of unity comes at a time when his 19-year role at Red Bull is under threat.
The FIA and F1’s owners, Liberty Media, were weighing their response to the evidence now in the public domain.
Other team leaders Toto Wolff and McLaren CEO Zak Brown have also spoken out about the ongoing incident, with the Mercedes boss calling for more ‘transparency’.
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