SUMMARY
- Accuser challenges Red Bull's findings in the Christian Horner investigation and seeks FIA's intervention.
- The woman, suspended amid the scandal, demands for transparency in the inquirt.
The woman who made allegations against Christian Horner, the principal of Red Bull, for behaving inappropriately, is reportedly ‘angry and upset’. Since the early days of 2024, the British team boss has been accused of sexual misconduct towards a female employee. However, a little over a month into the investigation, he was discharged of all accusations and was given a clean slate.
Yet, within a day, a private chat was leaked which included the conversation between Horner and the staff member. This has brought back the aggression of the fans and F1 community, as Horner still stands guilty of the claims. During the launch of the RB20 before the commencement of the season, fans expressed their disappointment towards the involvement of Horner in the team’s affairs.
The 50-year-old is married to the former Spice Girls singer, Geri Halliwell and the two have a son together. Halliwell has previously voiced her support to Horner ever since the issue came to light.
Christian Horner accuser ‘angry’ at Red Bull’s report
According to Mail Sport, the woman at the center of this scandal, who has been suspended with full pay, has appealed against the consequences of this inquiry. Popular media house, The Sun reports that she also lodged a complaint against him with the FIA and is left frustrated that she has not seen the complete report.
Formal complaint lodged with the FIA by Christian Horner’s accuser!#F1 #Formula1 #AusGP #ChristianHorner #RedBull #FIA
>>>>A Thread🧵<<<< pic.twitter.com/uSMu6pKPPu— Extreme Cars (@extremecars__) March 17, 2024
A certain source stated, “She has not been allowed to see the whole of the report which cleared Horner and has no clarity as to why the inquiry reached its decision.” The female employee reportedly insists she did not give away the contentious evidence, which has led to the scandal. An ally of hers claimed that she was “let down” by the Milton Keynes-based team yet maintained that herself appropriately throughout the whole affair.
This issue has led to a series of concerns in the team. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, decided to not attend the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following a dispute with Horner. This threatens the position of Verstappen within Red Bull as he might depart if the scandals persist.
FIA reacts to accuser’s complaint against Horner
As far as BBC reports go, the accuser has lodged an official complaint against the Briton. She went on to take it with the governing body of Formula 1, which is the FIA. Around the season-opening race in Bahrain, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem revealed his opinion on the issue. However, Ben Sulayem finds himself riddled with an independent inquiry.
The FIA had “no plans to conduct its own investigation” on Christian Horner because according to them “it has not received a formal complaint itself.”
Turns out, they received TWO!! pic.twitter.com/ftMAf2sHkb
— deni (@fiagirly) March 16, 2024
However, FIA made a quick move and responded to this complaint with a statement. FIA declared, “At the FIA, inquiries and complaints are received and managed by the Compliance Officer, and the Ethics Committee where appropriate. Both bodies operate autonomously, guaranteeing strict confidentiality throughout the process.”
They further added, “As a consequence, and in general, we are unable to confirm the receipt of any specific complaint and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide further comment on the complaints that we may receive from any parties.” While the investigation against Christian Horner takes a deep dive, his relationship with his wife, Halliwell, and his children are under strain.