Christian Horner has been acquitted of ‘coercive behavior’ after an investigation into the Red Bull team boss.
The 50-year-old husband of ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has been accused of his behavior towards a female employee. It remains to be seen whether he will keep his £8m-a-year job.
In a statement, the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, said: ‘The independent investigation into the allegations against Mr Horner has been completed and Red Bull can confirm that the complaint has been dismissed.
‘The complainant has the right to appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation was fair, rigorous and impartial.
‘The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who participated in the investigation. Out of respect for all involved, we will therefore not comment further. Red Bull will continue to strive to meet the highest standards in the workplace.”
Christian Horner has been acquitted after a Red Bull investigation (photo with wife Geri Halliwell)
Horner was the subject of investigation after being accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by a female colleague
Former Spice Girl Geri (left) was devastated by the shock to their lives as a result of the claims
The accusations were made by a close colleague at Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, who confirmed an internal investigation on February 5.
They appointed a London QC to lead the investigation. He heard 60 hours of evidence, including at least eight hours from Horner in one day, before producing the crucial 150-page report presented to the wider company’s board on Wednesday.
Horner was awaiting their verdict as he made the 3,000-mile journey from Britain to Bahrain on his private jet on Saturday for the opening race of the season.
He was said to be in good spirits during the day, hoping his name would be cleared upon landing in the Gulf Kingdom this afternoon. He didn’t show up in the paddock.
Former pop star Geri, mother of their seven-year-old son Monty, has been staunchly supportive throughout the ordeal. She is said to be ‘devastated’ by the shock to their lives, which they split between their farm (and stables) in Oxfordshire and a house in north London.
Horner has won 13 world championships since taking charge of the team in 2005 at the age of 31. He was the youngest team boss on the grid at the time, but now has the longest tenure.
He attended pre-season testing in Bahrain last week before returning home, with his position seemingly strengthening as the days progressed.
But he appeared to be struggling with forces within the organization moving against him, despite the veracity of the allegations.
Ford, which will have an engine partnership with Red Bull from 2026, led the calls for a quick conclusion to the saga. In a letter written last Friday, CEO Jim Farley expressed his dismay over the “unresolved allegations of inappropriate conduct by Red Bull Racing management.”
This call for clarity at the earliest moment was echoed by F1’s American owners, Liberty Media.
Horner’s position was also undermined, it seemed, by the death of the energy drinks magnate who gave him his big break at the helm of the new Red Bull team 19 years ago. Dietrich Mateschitz died of cancer in 2022, a tragedy that inevitably shook up the management structure, leaving executives jostling for position. One of the key drivers is said to have been Oliver Mintzlaff, the managing director and former CEO of RB Leipzig, who, it is said, hated Horner’s power base.
Horner attended F1 tests in Bahrain last week ahead of the start of the new season
The 50-year-old also attended Red Bull’s car launch in Milton Keynes despite the allegations
The announcement about Horner comes ahead of the new F1 season starting this week in Bahrain
That he is acquitted will be a relief for Horner’s wife Geri, who assisted her husband during the investigation
However, Horner retained the support of Red Bull’s Thai faction, led by Chalerm Yoovidhya, son of company co-founder Chaleo. Chalerm, as heir to the company fortune with a 51 percent stake, is estimated to be worth £30 billion. He occasionally appeared at races and was seen in long and friendly conversations with the Englishman, including when Verstappen won the third of his consecutive world titles in Qatar last October.
Another important voice was that of Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s 80-year-old motorsport advisor – an Austrian who was probably more in tune with Mintzlaff than with Horner.
“Marko got a contract extension last year but saw his money halved,” said a well-placed F1 figure. “There is a feeling that he wanted to take revenge on Horner and get him out.”