Christian Horner: Rival F1 team boss speaks out as Red Bull investigate allegations.

Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner denies the allegation of inappropriate behaviour made against him by a colleague, as the parent company investigates the claim

Williams team principal James Vowles has become the first Formula 1 boss to speak out amid an allegation of inappropriate behaviour against Christian Horner.

An investigation has been launched into Christian Horner, the head of Red Bull Racing, following a complaint filed by a female coworker.  

The parent company, based in Austria, made this announcement on Monday. Despite the allegation, Horner, who is 50 years old, has vehemently refuted the claim.    The company that manufactures energy drinks has announced that it has enlisted the services of an external lawyer to oversee the “independent” inquiry into the accusation made against the Formula 1 chief who has been in his position for a long time.  

This investigation is already in progress.    Red Bull expressed in their statement that they consider these issues as highly significant and will conduct the investigation promptly, aiming to conclude it as soon as possible.   They stated that providing further comments at this moment would not be suitable.   

Williams chief Vowles, speaking at his team’s car launch event on Monday, was questioned about his views on the situation.   While acknowledging his lack of knowledge about this particular case, the 44-year-old emphasized the significance of fostering a positive team culture. 

He said: “The sport itself, wind back 20 years ago, male-dominated without question. If you had to ask me what makes up a team (20 years ago), it would be white, more than likely male, more than likely 40 years old… something in that ballpark.

“That’s changing, and it’s only a positive that’s changing that result. I can only control what happens within Williams and what I can do within that environment is open everyone’s eyes to this is how we have to be, because the best ideas don’t come from being a closed group of individuals. It comes from diversity.

“These allegations are allegations. I’m afraid I don’t have any understanding of what is behind them and the significance of what has happened. All I can say [is] that should this ever happen in our regard, we’ll be entirely supportive in terms of fixing it and making sure we have a culture that is accepting of everyone.

I believe this implies that we need to reflect on ourselves and ensure that we are asking ourselves the right questions and behaving in a manner that will make us proud in the future, not just today.  

Sportlite era has obtained information suggesting that the accusation against Horner stems from his assertive approach to managing.   Red Bull is aiming for a quick resolution to this issue.   The team intends to hold its F1 season launch event on February 15, and they are eager to have the matter settled before that date.  

It is improbable that a decision regarding Horner’s continued position will be made until the investigation concludes.