by A defiant Christian Horner said he was “confident” he would clear his name after allegations of inappropriate controlling behavior by a female colleague, adding that he had no intention of leaving the team he “built”.
The Red Bull principal, who is the subject of an independent investigation launched by the team’s parent company in Austria, said that the support he received from everyone at Red Bull, from the drivers to the shareholders to the team partners, since the probe. public, was “overwhelming”. And he said he had no doubt he would be in Bahrain for the opening game of the season in two weeks’ time.
“I’m confident in the process” said Horner. “I’m working with the process. And I absolutely deny any of the allegations that have been made.”
Horner was speaking at the launch of Red Bull’s 2024 contender, the RB20, at the team’s factory in Milton Keynes on Thursday.
The day was meant to be a celebration ahead of Red Bull’s 20 season in the sport, with hundreds of partners and journalists and social media influencers gathered for the multi-million pound function. Instead, questions about the ongoing investigation dominated.
Horner spent more than eight hours being grilled by a specialist barrister in London last Friday, and further questioning is expected.
However, when asked if he had considered quitting the address, or avoiding interviews, Horner insisted he had no reason to do so as he had nothing to hide.
“Indeed,” he said. “I deny the allegations. For me it’s business as usual. I trust him [my innocence]. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be here.
“I am fully committed to this team. I’ve been here since the beginning. I have built this team. There were highs and lows along the way. We have won 113 races, seven drivers’ world championships, six constructors’ world championships, in 19 seasons. And you know, that’s in the history books now.
“But it’s what lies ahead that matters. So I focus on the future.”
Horner’s accuser, like Horner, was understood not to have worked at the factory since the launch of the investigation, in Milton Keynes on Thursday.
But senior executives from Red Bull Austria were present, including Oliver Mintzlaff, the former RB Leipzig chairman who is now chief executive of corporate projects for the energy drinks company, with oversight of F1. Helmut Marko, the Austrian company’s long-standing motorsport consultant, was also there.
Horner, who was seen talking to Mintzlaff, said the support he received was “overwhelming”.
In fact, he said, he had never seen the team more united.
“I think it brings a team together in moments of uncertainty,” he said. “And I’ve never seen a team more united or more supportive than it is.
“Everyone is focused on one thing, which is the performance of that car; to go out and defend the two world titles we’ve worked so hard for over the last few years.
“So it’s the car everyone is investing in and I’m looking forward to seeing it in action in Bahrain next week.”
“The support within the business, within our partners, within the industry.. is overwhelming,” drivers. The team. The partners.
“It is clear that there is a process going on at the moment. Some allegations have been made, which I completely deny. And obviously I’m sticking with that process and I’ll continue to do so until it’s done.”
Asked when that might be, Horner replied: “It has to run its course. There is no [date]. I don’t know.” It is thought that the investigation could still take weeks, and the new season may start.
Horner’s claim that the team was united was supported by his drivers. Three-time world champion Max Verstappen said morale was “better than ever” after a season in which they won 22 out of 23 races. And he said his relationship with Horner was “very good” and that the controversy had not affected him.
“We’ve seen each other a few times,” he said. “I was on the simulator. He was also there when we were filming. We’ve achieved a lot together so that doesn’t suddenly change.”
Horner, who also said his wife, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, and children were “very supportive”, concluded by saying he had never thought about his position and had no intention of leaving anytime soon.
“Not at all,” he said. “Not true. I am fully committed to this team. I’ve built this team, I’ve convinced people to come here and work here. I like working with the team. It’s very personal to me because I’ve personally invested so much.”
Even Horner’s defiant confidence couldn’t hide the elephant in the room
There were moments during Red Bull’s ’20th season’ launch on Thursday when it was hard not to wince, given what we know is currently going on behind the scenes.
“The establishment wrote us off as a fizzy drinks company,” announced the day’s headliner, gleefully, as she kicked off events with a potted summary of the past two decades. “But the bubble never burst for Red Bull Racing!” Oof. Don’t speak too soon.
Or how about Max Verstappen, in a video about what makes the team so special? “Everyone trusts each other,” said the team’s main driver. Not everyone, apparently.
Or perhaps most difficult of all, David Coulthard and Christian Horner discussing Horner’s infamous swim in the team pool after the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix, the result of a lost bet. Yes, the story is famous. Yes, it’s a good representation of what made Red Bull so different from the rest of the field when they first entered the sport. The theme of the day was “Forever Rebl” after all. But when the boss is the subject of allegations of inappropriate behavior from a female co-worker? Maybe the time is not right.
Not that Horner has been accused of sexual misconduct. The Red Bull team principal has been accused of “inappropriate behaviour”, believed to be of a controlling, possibly coercive nature. And the naked swim in Cape Superman was always seen as a bit of fun. But in the current climate, it might be best to steer clear. There were certainly a few raised eyebrows in the auditorium when Coulthard joked that it was a chance to see his old team principal “take his kit off”. Horner then looked a little pained as the compère then asked: “We won’t see any more of that then?”
The Red Bull team principal gave a very convincing performance under the circumstances. It wouldn’t be surprising if Red Bull canceled this launch. Or if Horner chose to quit after the keynote presentation to avoid endless interviews. Not only did he wait, he didn’t turn off any questions.
Naturally, various Red Bull press officers did their best to steer the conversation away from the investigation, reminding journalists that Horner was not authorized to discuss an active investigation. But it was simply impossible to avoid the elephant in the room. In the 10 minutes or so he spent with national newspapers, not one question was asked about the RB20.
As he got up at the end, after exploring his future, whether he thought about quitting his job, whether he felt his team was behind him, whether it would be over in 20 days, regardless of 20 years, Horner even. you joked: “What did you think of the cooling duct there?”
All in all, it was a confident performance. Without prejudging the outcome of the investigation, there is certainly one that has emerged from it that is stronger.
If the Austrian paymasters at Red Bull were watching to see how he performed, or how the team reacted to him on the day, he was successful. He looked calm, in control. Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s chief executive of corporate projects, who oversees F1, was present and could be seen in conversation with Horner at various points. Helmut Marko, with whom Horner was said to have been ‘power-motivated’ last year, was also there looking fine, although he was having a bit of a hangover, apparently the result of a skiing accident.
Jos Verstappen was not there, but his son supported Horner. “Fantastic,” replied the three-time world champion when asked how the spirit was in the camp ahead of the new season. “It’s honestly better than ever. Everyone is really enjoying their role, everyone is very proud of what they have achieved, and everyone is really looking forward to the new season.”
Asked about his relationship with Horner specifically, Verstappen added: “Yes, very good. We have seen each other a few times. I was on the simulator. He was also there when we were filming. We’ve achieved a lot together so that doesn’t suddenly change.”
Who knows what Verstappen is saying privately, but the impression he gave was that he would rather not rock the boat. The team has just enjoyed the most successful season in Formula One history, with 21 wins in 22 races. Verstappen was responsible for 19 of those. The 26-year-old is expected to dominate again this year, with the team able to focus their energy on the RB20 from the middle of last season, and that advantage was healthy.
The last thing Verstappen needs right now is instability at the top, which could filter down to the bottom of the team. There is talk that Ferrari, after poaching Lewis Hamilton, is looking again at Adrian Newey, or technical director Pierre Waché. Those two men were on stage with Horner during Thursday’s car presentation, along with the likes of chief designer Craig Skinner and trackside engineering director Paul Monaghan. It was a reminder of the amazing strength in depth that Red Bull has had over the past 20 years. And how much they have to lose.
Of course, the investigation could inevitably lead to action. If the evidence against Horner is overwhelming, Red Bull Austria may have no choice but to get rid of it.
Horner, at least, gave a believable impression of a confident man who had nothing to worry about. Yes, there were some really awkward moments. When he talked about the importance of “team culture” and so on. But he did not give the impression that he was a man on the edge. “Look, I think it’s very clear, Red Bull’s position is that it’s business as usual,” he replied when asked if he could be expected to quit pending on the outcome of the investigation. There is a process that Red Bull is going through. But it is clear that there is a job to be done [in the meantime] and I completely reject the accusations that have been made. And obviously my role continues.”
