- Now his job is on the line just a day after being cleared of misconduct
Christian Horner‘s future as Red Bull team principal is in serious jeopardy after what appeared to be intimate WhatsApp exchanges with a female colleague were sent to Formula One’s most influential figures.
About The Leaked Documents
The bombshell email contained 79 documents, including hundreds of messages, many of them of a sexual nature.
The anonymous sender copied in leading people in the sport, such as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, as well as accredited media gathered in Bahrain for the scandal-ridden opening race of the season.
Just Hours He Was Cleared
The tranche of seemingly incriminating material landed as second practice started at 6pm, around 24 hours after Horner had been cleared of ‘coercive behaviour’ by his team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, in Salzburg. That followed an internal investigation, led by a KC, that gathered 150 pages of findings.
He was delighted by the verdict that ended, or so he thought, a crisis that had engulfed him and his Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell. But all that was shortlived as the WhatsApp exchanges were published.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko breaks his silence
Red Bull’s spokesman was asked if Horner denied the emails were genuine. No denial came but, after taking advice from lawyers, he issued a defiant statement.
‘I will not comment on anonymous speculation,’ Horner said, ‘but to reiterate I have always denied the allegations.
‘I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.
‘It was a thorough and fair investigation, conducted by an independent specialist barrister, and it has concluded dismissing the complaint made.
‘I remain fully focused on the start of the season.’
As it is
Horner also changed his WhatsApp avatar on Thursday. It is no longer the image on the alleged exchanges with the woman in question.
The FIA and F1’s owners Liberty Media were weighing up their response to the evidence now in the public domain.
It is not certain if the messages were presented to the Red Bull-led investigation, but it is believed they probably were.
Now, though, Horner is open to a public trial, while the most intense pressure on his role may be presented by the team’s sponsors potentially withdrawing their backing.
