Christian Horner wants F1 Red Bull future resolved ‘as soon as possible’

Christian Horner wants his Red Bull future to be resolved “as soon as possible” as the embattled team principal fights to save his Formula One career. Red Bull Racing’s parent company Red Bull GmbH announced on 5 February that Horner is being investigated following an accusation of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague. Horner denies the claim.

Horner addressed the media alongside four other F1 team principals on the second day of this week’s three-day test in Bahrain on Thursday. The new season starts at the Sakhir circuit next Saturday. Asked why he has not moved aside as team principal and chief executive of Red Bull Racing with the investigation under way, Horner replied: “As you are well aware there is a process going on which I form part of, and as I form part of that process, I am afraid I cannot comment on it.”

Horner was then asked if he could provided a timeline as to when the investigation might be over. The 50-year-old added: “I am dreadfully sorry but I really can’t comment on the process or the timescale. Everybody would like a conclusion as soon as possible. But I am really not at liberty to comment about the process.”

Sources have indicated to the PA news agency that there could be a resolution before the opening race on 2 March. On Wednesday, the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, called for Red Bull’s investigation to be transparent, and said the controversy is “an issue for all of Formula One”.

McLaren’s chief executive Zak Brown, speaking in the same press conference as Horner on Thursday, echoed Wolff’s comments. “The allegations are extremely serious,” said Brown. “McLaren hold themselves to the highest standards of diversity, equality and inclusion. These are extremely important to us and our partners, and to everyone in Formula One.

“Red Bull Corporation has launched an investigation, and all we hope and assume is that it will be handled in a very transparent way, and as the FIA and Formula One has said, swiftly, because these are not the headlines that Formula One wants or needs at this time.”

Red Bull won all but one of the 22 races last year as Max Verstappen stormed to the world championship. The Dutch driver, in his heavily upgraded machine, set an impressive pace on the opening day in Bahrain, finishing 1.1 seconds clear of the field.

On Thursday, the second morning of testing was cancelled after a loose drain cover struck Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Both Hamilton and Leclerc hit the debris at turn 11 in Bahrain, and the running was red-flagged with one hour and 40 minutes remaining. Circuit officials attempted to repair the track, but after a delay of nearly 40 minutes, it was announced that the running would not resume until after a brought-forward lunch break.

Ferrari said the impact caused damage to the floor of Leclerc’s Ferrari, which has since been replaced. It is unclear at this stage how extensive the damage was to Hamilton’s Mercedes. Both Hamilton and Leclerc were unharmed in the incidents. Last November, a water valve cover broke free from the newly-laid tarmac of the Las Vegas street circuit and tore into the underbelly of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari at 210mph.