formula 1
Excitement before the start: What will happen to Horner?
Christian Horner has been the team boss since Red Bull entered Formula 1. photo
© Hasan Bratic/dpa
A decision in the matter involving world champion team boss Christian Horner is expected to be imminent. An announcement before the first Formula 1 training session on Thursday is likely.
Does he have to go or can he stay? It’s about none other than one of the most successful team bosses in the world Formula 1. About a world champion maker.
According to a report by the British broadcaster Sky Sports, the decision as to whether Christian Horner will remain in office after the allegations from an employee will probably be announced before Max Verstappen’s first Grand Prix kilometers this year. In other words: today or Wednesday.
No matter how it turns out, some damage already seems to be there. The designated engine partner Ford complained about the lack of transparency in the refurbishment. Formula 1, owned by the American company Liberty Media, also pushed for a quick clarification.
Horner is accused of inappropriate behavior
The parent company Red Bull, where former Leipzig football official Oliver Mintzlaff has been one of the managing directors responsible for Formula 1 since the death of company founder Dietrich Mateschitz, announced on February 5th that allegations against Horner were alleged inappropriate behavior would be examined. An external specialist lawyer was commissioned to do this. “The company takes these matters very seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as possible,” it said at the time.
At the presentation of Red Bull Racing’s new racing car ten days later, Horner explained in a media round: “There is a process that is ongoing at the moment. Some allegations have been made, which I completely reject. I am fully involved in this process and will continue to do so until it is completed.” For him, however, business continues as normal. During the test drives last week, Horner also did his job as team boss.
Schumacher: There is relatively great unrest in the team
“The unrest in the team is relatively great and you can hear that there was also trouble behind the scenes. The question is whether we are so divided that we can actually no longer work together,” said TV expert and ex-racing driver Ralf Schumacher of the dpa. There was already speculation last season about a power struggle between the camp around Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, to whom Verstappen is close, and Horner.
Should Horner be replaced, Ralf Schumacher does not necessarily see this as an impairment for Verstappen’s ambitions for a fourth World Cup triumph in a row. A new person in charge would have to be able to quickly restore calm, “then I don’t see any danger for the team. I can imagine that another person would also be able to manage Red Bull Racing,” said Ralf Schumacher .
Horner has been the team boss since Red Bull entered Formula 1. Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers’ World Championship with him from 2010 to 2013 and Verstappen has won it since 2021. Horner has been married to Geri Halliwell, a former member of the girl group Spice Girls, since 2015.