Whatever the outcome of the investigation into Christian Horner for alleged inappropriate conduct, there is no doubt that damage has been done to the Red Bull team. Far from flying on the wings boasted by the energy drink, and arguably at the peak of their Formula 1 powers, the 2023 champions have been brought back to earth with a bang, with a series of remarkable achievements overshadowed by claims that harm everyone. -To earn the reputation of the team.
The allegations against Horner came to light on Monday when the energy drink maker, Red Bull’s parent company, announced a comprehensive external investigation into what was understood to be Horner’s “controlling” behavior by a female member of the Red Bull Racing team .
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On Friday, Horner attended an eight-hour meeting in London with the British investigator, the RoC, to defend himself against the allegations, which he strongly denies. As expected, no decision was made that day and the investigation continues. Horner may not yet be fully cleared, but the fact that this has generated so much interest and received such wide coverage shows that it is already making an impact on Red Bull.
Before this week, Red Bull Racing was enjoying success that surpassed any other point in its remarkable history. They won four titles between 2010 and 2013, but have taken another step forward in the last two years. Since the rule changes in 2022, Max Verstappen has won the title in both seasons. Last year Red Bull won 21 of 22 races; This was once an almost unimaginable record and one that is unlikely to be beaten.
Horner’s team was streets ahead of its rivals and had maintained its image as the F1 game-changing team that played by its own rules. For parent company Red Bull GmbH, these were the jewels in the crown of sports investments.
The timing couldn’t have been better either. The success comes at a time when F1 is experiencing a huge surge in interest, especially in the United States, thanks to the Netflix series. Drive to Survive. As marketing tools go, Red Bull had hit the mother lode.
Having led Red Bull since its inception in 2005, Horner was at the heart of the team and a character in the wider sense. His rivalry with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff was key to the story and a central tenet of the sport’s appeal. Never one to shy away from making his position known to the media, Horner was perhaps the showman and headstrong frontman F1 never knew it needed.
The 50-year-old driver was often front and centre, as Verstappen delivered on his promise with clinical precision. It was the perfect storm that every other team feared: a dominant car that the driver could exploit to a degree that even his teammate could not come close to.
Red Bull Racing were then in a rare position and looking forward to riding the wave. There is no indication they will be overthrown in 2024. Of course there are expectations that their rivals could come close, but last season was an advantage where they shifted resources to this year’s car as early as August.
They would be center stage again and Horner would conduct the orchestra. The events of this week have shaken this edifice of celebration to its foundations. With Horner’s place in the team still uncertain, the team that had been stable and focused, ambitious and optimistic just a week ago was shocked by the allegations against the manager. It should be clear that if Horner is found guilty of the allegations, the only thing to do is to remove him from his position.
This excitement must have been destabilizing and distracting at a crucial point in the preparations for the new season, as its fate has yet to be determined. There is hope that the investigation will be concluded before the team unveils its new car on Thursday, but there is no guarantee that this will be the case. It was understood that he was not under any pressure to conclude the investigation quickly and new meetings would be held if necessary. After Friday, it was even discussed that the investigation stretched back to the start of the season.
If Horner were to leave, the impact would be even worse and would likely require a completely new management structure, as he is both managing director of the Red Bull Racing wings and team principal. Losing the man who shaped the team for 20 years would require the team to adapt going into the new season and that would be a huge ask. Worse still, if this turns out to be part of a power struggle between the parent company and the F1 team, it will sour relations with the vast majority of staff loyal to Horner. They will need to be won over by the new governance structure, in whatever form it takes.
However, at this stage, they cannot switch to a new regime, nor can they continue this week like this. It is certain that the investigation will be more harmful if it continues longer. Horner’s fate and the future of the Red Bull team remain uncertain.