- Horner, 50, had been the subject of an internal investigation after the claims
- His wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, had supported him throughout
Christian Horner has been cleared of ‘coercive behaviour’ following an investigation into the Red Bull team principal.
The 50-year-old husband of ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell had faced allegations over his conduct towards a female employee. It remains to be seen whether he will remain in 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 made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.
‘The complainant has a right of appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial.
‘The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.’
The allegations were made by a close colleague, with Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, confirming an internal investigation on February 5.
They appointed a London KC to lead the inquiry. He heard 60 hours of evidence, including at least eight hours from Horner in a single day, before producing the crucial 150-page report that went before the wider company’s board on Wednesday.
Horner was awaiting their adjudication as he took his private jet on the 3,000-mile trip from the UK to Bahrain for the opening race of the season this Saturday.
He was said to be in good spirits as the day developed, hoping his name would be cleared on landing in the Gulf kingdom this afternoon. He did not turn up at the paddock.
Former popstar Geri, mother of their seven-year-old son Monty, has stood resolutely by him throughout the ordeal. She is said to be ‘devastated’ by the jolt to their lives, which they split between their farmhouse (and stables) in Oxfordshire and a home in North London.
Horner has won 13 world championships since heading the team as a 31-year-old in 2005. He was then the youngest team principal on the grid, yet is now its longest-serving.
He attended pre-season testing in Bahrain last week before returning home, his position seemingly growing stronger as the days progressed.
But he appeared to be up against forces ranged against him within the organisation, notwithstanding the veracity of the accusations.
Ford, who are entering an engine partnership with Red Bull from 2026, led calls for a swift conclusion to the saga. In a letter written last Friday, chief executive Jim Farley expressed his displeasure at the ‘unresolved allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Red Bull Racing leadership’.
Those calls for clarity at the earliest moment were echoed by F1’s American owners, Liberty Media.
Horner’s position was also undermined, it seemed, by the death of the energy drinks mogul who gave him his big break 19 years ago at the helm of the new Red Bull team. Dietrich Mateschitz died in 2022 of cancer, a tragedy that inevitably shook up the management structure, leaving executives jostling for position. One key mover is believed to have been Oliver Mintzlaff, the managing director and former CEO of RB Leipzig, who, it is said, resented Horner’s powerbase.
Horner, however, retained the support of Red Bull’s Thai faction, headed by Chalerm Yoovidhya, son of the firm’s co-founder Chaleo. Chalerm, as an heir to the company fortune with a 51 per cent stake in it, is estimated to be worth £30billion. He turned up intermittently at races and could be seen in long and friendly chats with the Englishman, including when Verstappen clinched the third of his consecutive world titles in Qatar last October.
Another significant voice was that of Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s 80-year-old motorsport adviser – an Austrian believed to be more in line with Mintzlaff than Horner.
‘Marko was given a contract renewal last year, but he saw his money halved,’ said one well-placed F1 figure. ‘There is the notion that he wanted his revenge on Horner, and wanted him out.’
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
