Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is calling for an end to the “intrusion” and the media frenzy surrounding the recent investigation into allegations of misconduct.
The controversy involving Horner began when a female employee of Red Bull Racing filed a complaint against Horner with parent company Red Bull GmbH, triggering an eight-week investigation by an independent lawyer commissioned by the energy drink company.
Despite the investigation clearing Horner of wrongdoing, Red Bull’s lack of transparency coupled with leaks to the press, including purported WhatsApp message exchanges between Horner and the complainant, have cast a shadow over the team principal.
The situation escalated further when Jos Verstappen, father of star driver Max Verstappen, publicly declared after his son’s win in Bahran that the team would "explode" if Horner remained at the helm.
However, Horner insists the time has come for the scrutiny on himself and his family to stop, and for everyone to move on.
"It's obviously been a very trying period," Horner said on Thursday in Jeddah.
"I'm married and have three children. And when that intrusion includes your children and the scrutiny that is placed on my marriage...
“I'm very fortunate that I have a beautiful family and a very supportive wife and I'm the only one that has been named in this. So, of course, it's very trying.
"The reality is that there was a grievance that was raised. It was dealt with in the most professional manner by the group, not by Red Bull Racing, but by the owners of Red Bull Racing – Red Bull GmbH – that appointed an independent KC, that is one of the most reputable KCs in the land.
"He took time to investigate fully all of the facts. He interviewed all of the people involved together with others of interests, he looked at everything, he had all of the facts. And he came to a conclusion where he dismissed the grievance.
"As far as I'm concerned, as far as Red Bull is concerned, we move on and we look to the future. My wife has been phenomenally supportive throughout this, as have my family, but the intrusion on my family is now enough."
It has been suggested that Red Bull’s lack of transparency regarding the outcome of its investigation might be a result of legal constraints imposed by the company's legal team or stipulations outlined in a covenant between the parties involved.
Nevertheless, at a time when Formula 1 is actively striving for greater inclusivity, the company’s investigation has left everyone with more questions than answers – and a young woman, the complainant, without a job following her suspension from Red Bull.
Horner’s case inevitably throws a spotlight on potential inconsistencies between F1's stated values and how teams handle internal matters.
"I think it's a complicated issue, because there is a grievance process that takes place in any company," Horner said.
"That process is confidential between the individuals and the company itself. I'm not at liberty, unfortunately, due to that confidentiality and out of respect to the company, and of course, the other party, that we're all bound by the same restrictions.
"And even if I would like to talk about it, I can't, because of those confidentiality restrictions.
"The only reason that this has gained so much attention, obviously, is because of the leakage and the tension that there's been drawn in the media, and which has been very, very trying, in many respects, and, particularly, for my family, because it's all been focused very much in one direction.
"And, of course, others have looked to take advantage of it.
“Unfortunately, Formula 1 is a competitive business. And there's been, obviously, elements [that] have looked to benefit from it. And that's perhaps the not-so-pretty side of our industry."
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