DISCLAIMER: None of the accusations against Christian Horner have been proven, and all opinions shared throughout this piece are my own and are not purported to be fact.
It is no secret that off-track drama has been dominating the 2024 F1 season so far, and Red Bull Racing has come under fire now more than ever. Red Bull has always been the rebel of the F1 grid, breaking from the traditional stereotype by being bold, outspoken, bringing fresh energy to the paddock. And this has brought Red Bull much success: 7 world drivers’ championships, 6 constructors’ championships, 115 race wins, and 268 podiums to date. The man behind it all is Christian Horner. It is clear Red Bull would not be the success that it is today without everything that Christian has invested into the team, but will he also be Red Bull’s down fall?
What do we know so far?
In early February, accusations that Christian Horner behaved inappropriately towards a female employee at Red Bull Racing were brought to the public’s attention. Details regarding the alleged misconduct were scarce, and even today we still know very little regarding the exact conduct Christian has been accused of. Shortly thereafter, Red Bull announced that they were independently investigating Christian’s behavior, with the investigation culminating in a more than eight-hour interview with Horner himself.
On February 28, the day before the 2024 F1 season kicked off in Bahrain, Red Bull announced the results of their investigation. The complaint against Christian Horner was dismissed. To many this news was not shocking, just disappointing. And the cherry on top was Red Bull’s lack of transparency regarding the entire investigation, even though their narrative throughout the investigation was that Christian had nothing to hide.
Not even a day later, while we were all watching cars driving around the Bahrain International Circuit during the Thursday practice session, F1 journalists began posting that they had been sent an online drive containing all the alleged evidence that was submitted against Christian in the investigation. We later learned that this was not only sent to members of the media, but also team principals, F1 and FIA employees, and other prominent figures in the sport. This was really all anyone could talk about for the rest of the weekend, speculating over the authenticity of the evidence and, unfortunately, questioning the validity of the accuser’s claim.
Just over a week later, on March 7, Red Bull revealed that the employee who filed the complaint against Horner had been suspended with pay. The alleged reason for the suspension was because she had engaged in dishonest behavior.
Another week passed before Horner’s accuser announced that she had filed an appeal of Red Bull’s investigation decision and a formal ethics complaint against Horner with the FIA. The formal complaint revealed a lot of information that was not previously known to the public. Most notably, the complaint stated that multiple informal complaints were submitted to the FIA’s ethics and compliance hotline regarding Horner’s behavior. One call was made on February 2 before the news was made public, and the other on March 6 after the Red Bull’s investigation concluded.
What does all this mean for women in motorsports?
I don’t think it is any surprise that this scandal has seemed to further alienate women in motorsports—team employees, presenters, content creators, and fans alike. As women, we were already on the fringes, constantly being questioned and feeling pressure to prove the validity and worthiness of our interest in the sport.
First, there is the way Red Bull handled the complaint. Most women understand that an unfortunate reality of our society is that men in high places, like Christian Horner, will always get protections they seemingly don’t deserve. It is not uncommon to see large corporations investigating misconduct of male owners and CEOs only for the complaints to swiftly be dropped. This also is not new behavior for Red Bull; head of Red Bull’s drive development program Helmut Marko has come under fire several times for making racially insensitive remarks about several Red Bull drivers, yet Red Bull has never even initiated an investigation into or considered punishment for his conduct. This is why, as I said earlier, it was not surprising to learn that the investigation into Horner had been dropped, or even that Red Bull took disciplinary action against his accuser.
Second, the way that many F1 fans—male and female—have discussed this situation with such insensitivity has been incredibly disappointing. Men saying that this is why women don’t belong in motorsports because they can’t hack it in the male-dominated workspace. Women shaming Christian’s accuser for inviting his inappropriate behavior. As a fan myself, I am so saddened to see such toxic narratives being created by others in my same position. The lack of empathy is absolutely astounding, and I find it hard to even fathom how people could be so insensitive during what has likely been one of the most difficult times in this woman’s life, standing up to her accuser in such a public way.
Third, learning that the FIA has been aware of the accusations against Horner since the beginning is unforgivable. Throughout the investigation, the FIA has denied having any knowledge of the complaint and refused to open their own investigation because, as they have said, nobody has come forward and filed a complaint with them directly. Which we have now learned is false. The FIA is supposed to be an unbiased governing body overseeing F1 and other motorsports, but at the same time the FIA is showing clear favoritism towards Red Bull by failing to intervene in this matter when it was first brought to their attention. Yet, when baseless accusations were made against Susie Wolff for allegedly sharing inside information from Formula One Management (FOM) with her husband and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, the FIA could not have initiated an investigation faster. Do you see the double standard?
It is apparent now more than ever that drastic changes are needed in the sport so that it continues to progress as a welcoming and safe space for women. Women are looking to get involved in motorsports now more than ever, but without fundamental changes to the “boys club” culture I fear that this progress may be lost. Red Bull and the FIA’s handling of the accusations against Christian Horner have shown current and prospective female employees that they only be welcome if they stay quiet about wrongdoings in the workplace. Don’t upset the status quo and don’t challenge the rich and powerful men and the sport for their inappropriate actions, because you will be punished. What an unfortunate state of affairs.
The only potential redemption is that, as of today, this story is still unfolding. It is possible that the FIA can still make this right by conducting a fair and honest investigation into the allegations that were made against Horner. But right now, Christian Horner is still sat on the pit wall while his accuser is at home without a job, and that is sad sight to see.