Christian Horner, the troubled team principal of Red Bull Racing, and Mohammed Ben Sulayem are scheduled to engage in crucial discussions at the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday afternoon. The president of the governing body of Formula One, the FIA, will communicate with 50-year-old Horner as the organization considers its next course of action following Thursday’s controversy surrounding allegations of inappropriate behavior levelled against him once more.
On Wednesday, an independent investigation into the allegations made by a female employee of Red Bull Racing exonerated Horner, with the investigation’s conclusion stating that the complaint had been dismissed. A leaked email comprising images of messages allegedly exchanged between Horner and the female staff member was distributed to senior personnel, media outlets, and F1 teams on Thursday. The email was distributed through the sport’s governing body, the FIA.
Despite the fact that neither its veracity nor the inclusion of the communications in the investigation have been confirmed, the email has had an enormous impact on the sport. Horner issued a denial once more. He stated, “I will not comment on anonymous speculation.” “However, I have consistently denied the allegations,” he continued.
It is believed that the FIA and F1 are engaged in intensive deliberations regarding the consequences of the
ย uproar on the sport.
The FIA is expected to formally request a copy of the investigation from the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, which initiated the inquiry. The FIA is also reportedly considering the investigation’s potential repercussions on the sport, given its regulatory status and its sporting code that explicitly prohibits tarnishing the reputation of the sport.
“Any words, deeds, or writings that have resulted in moral harm or detriment to the FIA, its bodies, its members, or its executive officers, or more broadly to the interest of motorsport and the values defended by the FIA,” as stated in Article 12.2.1 f.
As of yet, neither the FIA nor F1 have issued an official statement regarding the investigation or its consequences. This is due to their lack of access to the report, which Red Bull GmbH has declared it will withhold in order to safeguard the privacy of all parties involved.
Zak Brown, the principal owner of McLaren, and Toto Wolff, the principal owner of Mercedes, issued a joint statement on Thursday urging the FIA and F1 to compel Red Bull to disclose the report in an effort to promote the integrity of the sport.
