On the eve of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, found himself at the center of serious allegations. A female employee accused Horner of misconduct, leading to a thorough internal investigation by Red Bull’s parent company.
The investigation, which lasted eight weeks and was conducted by an independent barrister, ultimately dismissed the allegations against Horner. However, the matter did not end there. The female employee, who was suspended following the conclusions of the investigation, decided to appeal the findings. This appeal was also handled by another independent barrister and has now been dismissed as well, according to a statement from Red Bull GmbH.
In the statement, Red Bull outlined the process: ‘Earlier this year, a complaint raised against Christian Horner was investigated. The complaint was dealt with through the company’s grievance procedure by the appointment of an independent KC who dismissed the grievance. The complainant exercised the right to appeal, and the appeal was carried out by another independent KC. All stages of the appeal process have now been concluded, with the final outcome that the appeal is not being upheld.’
Red Bull has accepted the conclusions reached by both independent investigations and considers the internal process to be concluded. ‘The company respects the privacy of all its employees and will not be making further public comment on this matter at this time,’ the statement added. Despite the closed internal process, the female employee remains suspended, and Red Bull’s Austrian parent company is contemplating its next steps.
There has been considerable interest within the motorsport community regarding this case. Red Bull is keen to emphasize its commitment to the highest workplace standards, indicating that the organization takes such allegations seriously and handles them with the utmost procedural integrity.
Therefore, with the dismissal of the appeal, the Red Bull F1 team now considers the matter closed and is focused on moving forward as the 2024 Formula 1 season unfolds.
While the investigation and subsequent appeal have concluded in favor of Christian Horner, Red Bull remains committed to maintaining high workplace standards. The team is now looking ahead to the upcoming racing season, with the case now officially closed.
