Christian Horner Complainant Returns to Work in Formula 1

The woman who made allegations of sexual harassment against former Red Bull Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner is back working in the sport.

She had been suspended by Red Bull in March 2024 and had not worked in Formula 1 since. Both the woman and her current employer have declined to comment on her return.

Horner, who had led Red Bull since 2005, was dismissed from his role in July this year. The company did not provide an explanation for his removal, which came amid a backdrop of on-track struggles, questions over Max Verstappen’s future, and internal management tensions.

Verstappen has since reaffirmed his commitment to Red Bull, confirming he will remain with the team into the new 2026 regulations despite interest from Mercedes.

Horner is currently in talks with Red Bull over a termination settlement.

The allegations against him first surfaced in December 2023, when the complainant wrote to Red Bull accusing him of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour. Horner consistently denied the claims, and an internal investigation dismissed them on the eve of the 2024 season.

Controversy deepened when, the following day, a tranche of WhatsApp messages purporting to involve Horner was circulated among senior F1 figures and media outlets. Horner refused to confirm their authenticity, describing them as “anonymous, speculative messages from an unknown source.”

After the complainant appealed, Red Bull conducted a second investigation, which again cleared Horner. Despite this, the saga continued to overshadow the team until his eventual departure.

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