Former Red Bull CEO Christian Horner has opened up about dealing with the investigation that ultimately cleared him of inappropriate behaviour following an accusation by an employee
Christian Horner has opened up the investigation that cleared him of inappropriate behaviour at Red Bull. The 52-year-old was accused of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague in 2024, which he was subsequently cleared of twice by an independent commission.
The situation became national news and saw Horner, Red Bull, and his wife Geri Horner, put under the microscope as the Red Bull CEO and team principal remained in the paddock.
Horner was sacked the following year and received a multi-million-pound compensation package of around £75million. It came as on-track performance slipped below the levels that had seen Red Bull dominate the sport in the preceding years.
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Speaking to the Up To Speed podcast, Horner said: “It was a very, very tough period. The easiest thing would have been to roll over and walk away. But I stuck to my principles and believed in the process.
“Because a lot, obviously, was going on behind the scenes in terms of in the build-up to the 2024 season and we’re building an engine, we’re preparing to defend a championship, and there’s an investigation, obviously, that was conducted as with any grievance that is raised in within a company.
“Now this was taken outside of the company and placed with an independent KC, King’s Council, that are bound by their own statutes and were employed to go and do a thorough job on it. And there’s a huge uncertainty during that period.
“I spent my time, I went through the process, they came to a conclusion, they dismissed all the allegations. And then of course there’s a right to appeal. So, the appeal went in, and then there’s another KC appointed to make sure that, again, it’s truly, truly independent.”
To add to the situation, a series of alleged private messages from an unknown individual began to circulate, which added extra strain on Horner and his relationships.
He added: “But of course, in the meantime, there’d been certain leakage to media, and that then puts your family in the spotlight and the media circus.
“And that was tough, that tests you as a person, as a character, and the strength of your family and your partner and your wife. I’m married to a very public lady, and Geri’s support during that period was phenomenal, and we came through it.
“And in the meantime, we’re still winning races. So, every time I crossed that red line as you walked in the garage, it was like, ‘Oof.’ Because I knew the people, the mechanics, the technicians, the people in the garage weren’t judging me.
“So, you put your headphones on, you do your job, and be with your team, and then you come off. In that early period of 2024, there was a huge amount of noise, but you find out who your friends are.
“You find out a lot about yourself as well. So, it was it was obviously very, very difficult. I think it makes you stronger, it gives you perspective, and I wasn’t prepared to be defined by this.
“I was tremendously fortunate within the team. I had amazing, amazing support. What you have to remember, we were winning everything.
“Your rivals, they sniff a weakness, and they’ll just needle and needle and needle through the media, through whatever, to put pressure because they want the system ultimately to break down because they know that that will impact results. The pressure that was coming again from certain sectors of within the paddock wasn’t pleasant either.”