Christian Horner All Smiles As Focus Returns To The Track

Red Bull presented a united front as Christian Horner resumed his customary position on the Red Bull pit wall in Bahrain as testing got underway on Wednesday.

Amidst ongoing scrutiny by the team’s energy drink company into allegations made by a team member and whispers of internal discord, the veteran Red Bull leader was seen grinning at a table while Dr. Helmut Marko enjoyed a bowl of soup next to him.

However, speculation about Horner’s potential imminent dismissal persists. Nonetheless, Viaplay commentator Mervi Kallio had to retract her earlier statement on Wednesday, suggesting that a verdict on Horner’s fate had been reached, with an announcement of his exit possibly coming as early as this week.

“Even the Red Bull board has forbidden those present to comment in any way,” Kallio said. “But the decision that Horner will have to step down has apparently already been made.”

Horner’s rival team bosses did not want to comment when asked about the Red Bull turmoil on the opening day of the Bahrain test – but Toto Wolff was the exception.

“It’s a delicate issue,” the Mercedes team boss told Sky Italia. “Red Bull has decided to open an internal investigation and we must respect it and have faith in this process.

“Of course we are all for respect and inclusion, but we don’t want to talk about conjecture.”

Wolff hinted, however, that if Horner’s accuser is ultimately believed by Red Bull’s independent investigator, his F1 nemesis may need to pay the ultimate price.

“These are the standards that we’re setting ourselves in Formula 1,” he said. “We live in a global sport, one of the most important sports platforms in the world. And we are role models.”

Wolff also suggested that the saga risks bringing F1 into disrepute.

“We can talk when we know what the outcomes are, and what it means for Formula 1 and how we can learn from that. Because we want to talk about racing cars rather than these kinds of very, very critical topics,” he said.

“It is more than just the team’s issue. It’s an issue for all of Formula 1.”