Red Bull announced on Wednesday that a complaint against Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner had been “rejected”. investigationhe was cleared to continue in his current role.
“An independent investigation into the allegations against Mr Horner has been completed and Red Bull can confirm that the complaint has been dismissed,” a Red Bull spokesperson said.
“The complainant has the right to file an appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation is fair, serious and impartial. The investigative report is confidential and contains personal information of parties and third parties assisting the investigation and therefore, out of respect for all concerned, we will not comment further,” the spokesperson said. “Red Bull will continue to strive to meet the highest business standards.”
The news comes a little earlier The first race of the 2024 season is this weekend in Bahrain. Horner, 50, has denied the allegations and insisted it was business as usual, appearing at the Red Bull car launch on February 15 and at the Bahrain track for pre-season testing last week.
Horner has led the Red Bull F1 team since its inception in 2005 and has achieved extraordinary success, including 113 race wins.
In that short time, Red Bull won seven drivers’ championships: four with Sebastian Vettel, from 2010 to 2013, and three in a row with the current champion Max Verstappen, from 2021 to 2023. He turned six of them into the Constructors’ Championship, narrowly losing to Mercedes in 2021.
Based on early indications, Verstappen and Red Bull appear to be favorites again in the 2024 season.
Red Bull announced An “independent investigation” by an “external expert lawyer” in early February, a spokesman said, citing “certain recent allegations” without explaining what they were. The Austria-based energy drink company said at the time that it was taking the matter extremely seriously and would complete the investigation “as soon as practicable”.
Rumors of the allegations have since circulated through F1 media and European tabloids. NBC News has not independently confirmed the specifics of the allegations or the identity of the person making them.
Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull runs until 2028. The team’s other F1 driver is Sergio Perez, whose contract expires after the 2024 season.