Horner set for Red Bull grilling from top lawyer

CHRISTIAN HORNER is due to speak to a top lawyer on Friday as the pivotal part of Red Bull’s investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

The F1 team’s parent company in Austria have opened an inquiry into the team principal’s conduct following a complaint lodged by a female employee, and want to come to a swift conclusion.

Mail Sport understands they will seek to conclude the matter before the launch of the new car a week tomorrow, and will interview Horner, 50, the husband of Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, at the Milton Keynes factory or on neutral territory at the end of the week.

An external lawyer — an English KC — has been appointed to investigate the complaint made by the staff member, who has accused Horner (below) of controlling behaviour. It is believed he will be asked a series of questions by the KC.

Red Bull Racing denied the accusations when approached by Mail Sport at the weekend. The woman made her claims not to the Red Bull team itself but to the parent company in Austria, and they issued a statement confirming the probe. Horner denied the allegations on Monday.

‘After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation,’ a Red Bull statement read.

‘This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister. The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.’

Horner’s supporters claim he is a pawn in a wider power struggle at the organisation, in a void that has come about after the death of his main ally, Dietrich Mateschitz, the soft drinks magnate, who died in October 2022.

Williams team boss James Vowles said: ‘The sport, wind back 20 years, (was) male-dominated without question. If you had to ask me what made up a team, it would be white, more than likely male, more likely 40 years old. That’s changing and it’s only a positive that it’s changing.

‘These allegations are allegations. I’m afraid I don’t have any understanding of what is behind them and the significance of what has happened.

‘Should this ever happen on our guard (at Williams) we’ll be supportive in terms of fixing it and making sure we have a culture accepting of everyone.’