“Transparency and rigor”
Arch-rival Wolff is putting pressure on the Horner case
February 22, 2024, 4:24 p.m
The start of the Formula 1 season is overshadowed by an investigation against Christian Horner. While the team boss of the Red Bull superteam can’t say anything about it, his rival Toto Wolff is calling for “transparency and rigor” in the process.
Christian Horner looked quite pained. Of course, the team boss from the Formula 1 world champion team Red Bull was grilled about the spicy allegations against him – but Horner didn’t want to comment. “As you know, there is a process underway that I am involved in, and since I am involved in that process, unfortunately I cannot comment on it,” Horner said. His problem is also becoming more and more of a problem for Formula 1.
Does he have to go? Can he continue? When will the investigation finally end? Horner’s future is the biggest topic at testing in Bahrain ahead of the new season, which begins next week. And it is becoming increasingly stressful for everyone involved. McLaren boss Zak Brown said the investigation had to be done “quickly”: “Because I don’t think these are the kind of headlines that Formula 1 wants or needs at this point in time.”
What happens next remains to be seen. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t comment on the process or the schedule,” said Horner, who is said to have behaved inappropriately towards an employee: “I think everyone obviously wants to get to a result as quickly as possible, But it’s really not my place to comment on the process.”
In addition to Formula 1 (“Hope that this matter will be clarified as early as possible”) and Brown, Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff is also putting pressure on him. “Formula 1 and what the teams do stand for inclusion, equality, fairness and diversity. It’s not just about talking about it, but living it day by day,” said the Austrian, who is not exactly a friend von Horner: “We are a global sport, one of the most important sports platforms in the world. And we are role models.”
The desired clarification of the allegations comes from the very top, from the Austrian Red Bull Group. “If this is done in the right way, with transparency and rigor, we need to look at what the results are and what that means for Formula 1 and what we can learn from it,” Wolff said. The 52-year-old said they wanted to talk about racing cars and the sport, “and not about these really critical issues that are more than just a team problem. It’s an issue for the entire Formula 1 and for every single person there works outside.” But especially for Horner himself.