Following a lengthy probe into the allegations made against him by a female employee, Red Bull has found no evidence of inappropriate behaviour.
As Horner travelled to Bahrain for the F1 season-opener, Red Bull issued an official statement explaining that claims of wrongdoing against him had been dismissed.
A statement issued by the Red Bull company in Austria said: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. The complainant has a right of appeal.”
Red Bull appointed an independent barrister to conduct the investigation into the unspecified claims made against Horner.
The probe included lengthy interviews with the individuals at the centre of the case and has taken several weeks.
While media reports have speculated about the nature of the allegations against him, Red Bull has not offered any further details about what the matter was really about.
It said, however, that it was fully confident the investigation had been conducted in a “fair, rigorous and impartial” manner.
It added: “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.”
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Horner’s exoneration ends a difficult few weeks for him, where he has been at the centre of intense media speculation and questions over his future.
Speaking at the Red Bull launch earlier this month, Horner admitted that the events had been challenging for both him and the team.
“Inevitably there has been a distraction, but the team are very together,” he said. “Everybody’s focused on the season ahead. So it’s been very much business as normal. The support has been fantastic.”
As the investigation dragged on, several parties went public in urging Red Bull to add some urgency to reaching a conclusion over the matter – including F1’s commercial rights holder.
Earlier this week, Red Bull’s future engine partner Ford also pressed for the matter to be concluded swiftly and with full transparency.
Ford CEO Jim Farley wrote a letter to Red Bull this week saying that his company was “increasingly frustrated, however, by the lack of resolution or clear indication from you about when you anticipate a fair and just resolution of this matter.”
He added: “We are likewise frustrated by the lack of full transparency surrounding this matter with us, your corporate partners, and look forward to receiving a complete account of all findings.”
Throughout the investigation, though, Horner remained in his position and attended both the team launch and last week’s pre-season test in Bahrain.
