If Christian Horner had his preference, the contentious issue surrounding an allegation of misconduct levied against him by a colleague would be a thing of the past by now.
Before Formula 1’s season opener last month, Red Bull’s parent company cleared him of any wrongdoing, and Horner has since stayed true to his commitment to maintain normal operations. With Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez clinching consecutive 1-2 finishes for Red Bull, Horner, accompanied by his former pop star spouse, has celebrated as Verstappen claimed victory in 18 out of the last 20 races.
Expressing frustration, Horner insisted after Red Bull’s second consecutive triumph: “I believe it’s time to move on from this.”
However, the matter persists.
As Formula 1 heads to Melbourne this week for the Australian Grand Prix, the investigation into Horner’s conduct is poised to dominate discussions once more. The employee who lodged the accusation against Horner has been suspended by Red Bull.
According to The Associated Press, the employee has enlisted the services of a communications team. The individual has exercised the right to challenge Red Bull’s exoneration of Horner and has formally filed a complaint with the FIA, the sport’s governing body, as of last week.
The FIA has indicated that any complaint will be reviewed by an independent compliance officer and ethics committee. These entities operate independently of the FIA, which is currently probing its own president following two whistleblower complaints. If this seems perplexing, welcome to the fold.
Formula 1 and its American owner, Liberty Media Co., have refrained from making any statements. Neither possesses the legal authority to take action against Red Bull Racing; F1 has stated that the matter falls under the purview of the FIA.
Thus far, only one of Red Bull’s sponsors has publicly demanded clarity, but Red Bull has demonstrated little regard for the inquiries of its potential future engine partner, Ford Motor Co. Allegedly, the report exonerating Horner has been withheld from those seeking access, including stakeholders heavily invested in the stability and performance of Red Bull and its competitors.
The season has marched on, with Red Bull maintaining its dominance. Horner has remained at the helm as team principal, supported by his wife, Geri Halliwell, the former “Spice Girl.”
While it’s tempting to view this saga through the lens of a potential Netflix documentary, the gravity of the situation lies in the serious allegations being sidelined without transparency and, almost certainly, without the consent of the accuser.
For F1 to uphold its integrity as a legitimate sport, there must be an official inquiry into Red Bull’s conduct. If Red Bull were a U.S.-based team, it would undoubtedly face heightened scrutiny, with leagues such as the NFL, NBA, or MLB swiftly addressing such issues before they escalated. Even if some details were kept confidential, sanctions would be inevitable.
The FIA’s regulations stipulate that a formal complaint must be lodged, and now, officially, one has been submitted.
It falls upon someone to champion this cause and propel it toward resolution, demonstrating leadership in a series that has experienced significant growth in popularity over the past decade.
The FIA appears impotent in this regard, still reeling from its off-season investigation into the alleged sharing of information between Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie, who serves as head of the F1 Academy, an F1 employee.
While the FIA confirmed the existence of a complaint, all nine other teams swiftly issued identical statements denying their involvement, prompting the FIA to close the investigation. Susie Wolff is still awaiting an apology from the FIA.
This issue has consumed F1’s attention, overshadowing other developments, from Lewis Hamilton’s final season at Mercedes and the leadership changes at Haas to Michael Andretti’s failed F1 venture and the FIA’s other inquiries. All of these take a backseat to Red Bull’s insistence for everyone to mind their own business.
Someone must illuminate the true nature of F1’s business by demanding accountability from Red Bull. Whether it’s F1, the FIA, or every sponsor associated with Red Bull, someone must address this issue.
Or will everyone simply accept Red Bull’s version of events?
