Christian Horner missed his 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix FP3 duties to meet with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and discuss the controversy over his Red Bull investigation into inappropriate and controlling behaviour.
Ben Sulayem is also set to meet F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali at the Bahrain GP to address the situation after supposed evidence was leaked just after the end of FP2 – around 24 hours after Red Bull had cleared Horner of any wrongdoing.
Horner was spotted on qualifying day in Bahrain after reiterating his denial of any wrongdoing following the leak, but TV pictures only showed him in conversation with Red Bull communications and PR staff.
Sky Sports‘ pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz then confirmed he wasn’t on the pit wall during FP3 because he was meeting Ben Sulayem – though Horner did return to trackside late in the session.
Red Bull GmbH – the F1 team’s parent company – completed their investigation into complaints of inappropriate behaviour against Horner made by a female team employee with no further action against the team principal.
However, messages and images supposedly sent between the pair were sent to the press, then the public which has reignited the story and the FIA‘s International Sporting Code does give them the power to intervene.
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Red Bull employed an external lawyer for their investigation, which included Horner apparently attending an eight-hour session to defend his actions, but their statement clearing the team principal was very light on the specific details of the case.
McLaren and Mercedes bosses Zak Brown and Toto Wolff both criticised Red Bull‘s lack of transparency around the investigation, with their original conclusion to the investigation reading:
“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.”
What could F1 or the FIA do next?
Article 12.2.1.f outlaws “Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motor sport and on the values defended by the FIA.”
However, any intervention to remove the boss would be unprecedented in recent memory. Renault boss Flavio Briatore resigned from his position after the Crashgate controversy was made public, but that announcement came just days before he was meant to face an FIA World Motorsport Council hearing in Paris.
Ben Sulayem weighing into the Andretti debate in 2023 earned a sharp backlash from F1 teams and even threatened his position, so any external action on the Horner situation wouldn’t be taken without heavy consideration.
