Red Bull's Christian Horner cleared following inappropriate behavior probe

Red Bull’s team director Christian Horner has been exonerated of misconduct allegations by a female employee following an investigation.

The parent company of the team's energy drink sponsor delivered this update on Wednesday, following a detailed eight-week investigation.

“Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial,” the statement read.

“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,” the statement added.

Horner, married to ex-Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell, had persistently denied the allegations and maintained normal team functions during the probe.

The 50-year-old British national flew to Bahrain on the day the news broke, lifting a significant burden that had been overshadowing a team that claimed victory in 21 out of 22 races the previous year. Horner’s potential exit would have caused considerable upheaval in the sport and jeopardized the team’s ambitious plans to develop their own engine in a fresh partnership with Ford, due to commence in 2026.

Horner’s tenure at Red Bull, stretching back to 2005, makes him the longest-serving team boss in the sport. His leadership has taken the team, now driven by three-time world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, to unprecedented heights.

His fierce competition with Mercedes team leader Toto Wolff has been prominently featured in the popular Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive', capturing a new set of admirers for the sport.

Last year, Horner navigated the team, based in Milton Keynes, to their sixth constructors’ title, setting numerous records in one of the most dominant runs in the sport’s annals. He has been the team's principal since they first emerged on the F1 grid in 2005. Under his tutelage, the team has clinched seven drivers' championships and six constructors' championships.

1The iconic team boss, a recipient of an OBE in 2013, was honored with a CBE in the New Year’s Honours list last year, following Red Bull’s record-setting 2023 season.

The team secured 21 out of 22 race wins, helping Verstappen claim his third world title. Prior to managing an F1 team, Horner had a brief competitive racing career, retiring at the early age of 25.