Horner's Red Bull Future: Austrian Decision Looms After Probe
Feb.27 - The Christian Horner scandal is finally coming to its end, with Red Bull executives tipped to resolve his future in Formula 1 as he jets back to Bahrain on Wednesday.
It is believed the investigation into Horner's behaviour based on the accusations of a female team member is now complete, with Red Bull overlords in Austria now in possession of a 100-page dossier.
But the affair has been protracted and murky, earning condemnation from former Formula 1 personality Eddie Jordan - who is very close friends with Red Bull technical guru Adrian Newey.
"I have seen many wrong decisions in my time," he told Auto Bild, "but the Red Bull situation is the most absurd thing I've ever seen.
"Of course there is initially the presumption of innocence for Christian. But does anyone seriously believe that the employee made up the allegations? And if Horner is innocent, does that mean she's guilty?
"Red Bull's image damage is already huge," Jordan added. "Someone has to pull the ripcord now."
The question is who really pulls those strings. Since Dietrich Mateschitz's late 2022 death, an obvious power struggle has raged at Red Bull between the two founding shareholders - the Austrians and the Thais.
Mateschitz's son Mark is now in charge in Austria, but in Thailand, it is Charlem Yoovidhya who arguably has more power as the single largest shareholder.
And Yoovidhya, until now, has been backing Horner.
"For Chalerm, Horner is a kind of foster son," said former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher. "He stands by him unconditionally.
"And whether we like it or not, the unfortunate reality is that our Western values of equality have not yet arrived in Thailand. The role of a woman is viewed differently there."
On the Austrian side of the equation, though, Horner appears to have almost no support whatsoever - with bosses there set to meet to dive into the 100-page investigation dossier on Tuesday.
A decision about Horner will then quickly follow on Tuesday or Wednesday - prior to the weekend's opening race of the season.
"We all want a quick solution now," Dr Helmut Marko told Kleine Zeitung newspaper.
The good news for Red Bull is that the team has built an obvious title-defending car for 2024, with Schumacher agreeing that Horner's absence will make little difference to that.
"The structures are already in place," Ralf told DPA news agency.
"There's been a lot of unrest inside the team so the question is whether the people are so divided that they can't actually work together anymore.
"For Max Verstappen, whose basic confidantes are his father Jos and Helmut Marko, it is important that nothing changes for him among the mechanics and engineers."
He thinks an easy quick solution for Red Bull would be to pull the recently-retired former AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost out of retirement.
"That would be an obvious solution, but Franz and Helmut? That wouldn't work."
But Schumacher says that if an acceptable successor is named quickly, "then I don't see any danger for the team. I can imagine that another person is also able to manage Red Bull Racing."
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He'd get replaced by current racing director Jonathan Wheatley rather than Tost in any case.
Anyone in northern hemisphere hearing RB report (or full version) may not be released?
When Ferrari got caught cheating , the Fia buried the report , so im gonna guess Rb will do the same
Thx only one source reporting here at R Send of the world. Midnight here now so see in the AM I guess.
Johnathan Wheatley, out of the frying pan into the fire!
So many unsubstantiated assumptions and about so far unsubstantiated allegations that are unspecified. And this about the most successful team principle in the history of F1. He is not the tea boy, he will fight any untrue allegations or defamatory actions through the courts and he has the millions to do it.
And this will badly affect everyone involved.
My guess this will be judged a relatively minor infringement, the injured party will be awarded compensation and Horner will be fined, end of.
Never change a winning team...
The only thing that needs to change, is banning Jos Verstappen from the garage. He talks too much and benefits no one. Keep the father/son relationship at home. He is a toxic man.
I tend to agree, It was I think the same with Lulus birth Dad, but i think hes occasionly now in the garage again, As for Jos, I dont think ive ever seen him smile, it could be a case of (we are too powerfull/all powerfull) that Jos thinks hes running the team, regarding the complaint , a present for the media , itll run and run untill something happens, Sure Merc/Torger are stirring, its business after all, however it does seem the f1 team and wider are behind Horny , which may just save him
Jos is living vicariously through his son, sad. Being a supportive Dad is one thing, but his behavior is obnoxious. It may be up to Max in the long run, career or Dad, will be a tough decision. The guy is not a happy man,should be beaming from ear to ear An incredibily talented son, why all the stink eye looks. No one paying any attention or listening to his unwelcome suggestions, to dear old what’s his name? Wouldn’t be the first Dad to ruin a kid’s career.
Eddie Jordan, in today’s world anyone is capable of making false accusations, live in a cave? People who have gone to prison for years, have been released because some woman falsely accused some guy of a sexual attack. People are people. I’m not saying Horner is innocent, but to say someone wouldn’t falsify an accusation is living in a fantasy world. More interesting is the convenient emails showing up out of nowhere after the investigation was concluded and Horner was exonerated.
Good point re the emails , now i wonder out of all the people in the paddock/immediate F1 circus has the email of lots and lots of people (apart from the teams and the Fia naturally) Oh yeah The Media..........., but would they have leaked them all at one time? ,very likely not,Damn i got excited then for a moment, so maybe more likely someone close to the investigation who hoped it would go off like a bomb sounds more likely, but Heh we are all guessing, roll on Thursday
Eddie Jordan is so gullible. Of course an employee with an axe to grind could fabricate malicious allegations.
You forgot very smart businessman in you assassination
Absolutely. Smart, ambitious,businessmen. Isn’t that how the world works? Having something on others to advance themselves. Palace intrigue. Stories books are written about.
Tie all the hanger's-on like Jos and Marko up to a post, and shoot them at dawn.
Problem solved.
I appreciate your enthusiasm, but how about just banning Jos from all races. Marko is more than hanger on, he can stay. Jos seems to be a major player in this, with some of his sandbox buddies, Toto, and a few others, maybe Zak and a few disgruntled RB employees.too convenient for hidden emails to show up after investigation. A serious complainant would have presented the emails to make her case.
BUT maybe the emails/txts WERE presented to the lawyers for the investigation, and this is just semi publicly showing them to cause embarrassment and stir things up, now whoyd do that?, who would have access to the emails/messages, it wont be long list ? Fair play to Horny for sticking it out solong, like i said itll run and run and run.......
Anyone who tried to kill his ex-wife with a car, is more capable of this stirring up this mess. Not helpful that Jos and Horner got into a shouting match after Saturday’s race. Jos may want Horner ‘s job. Several of Horner’s enemies would be on board seeing Horner fade away.
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