Christian Horner is facing challenges at Red Bull as an investigation is underway following a complaint made by a female employee.
If Christian Horner is removed from his position, insiders have revealed that Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff may be assigned to oversee the F1 team.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday to address the complaint of inappropriate behavior against Red Bull team principal Horner. While an external investigation takes place, Horner denies any wrongdoing and continues in his role.
Red Bull staff are unaware of the exact situation and can only speculate whether the objective is to remove Horner or to have a senior figure from Salzburg take a more active role in the successful F1 team, according to The Times.
The publication also suggests that a reshuffle may involve Oliver Mintzlaff, who serves as the managing director of Red Bull Austria and previously worked in football administration, being reassigned to supervise the team.
Since the passing of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in October 2022, Horner has become more vulnerable. While he still receives support from Red Bull’s majority shareholders in Thailand, his relationship with Austria is reportedly strained. Despite this, his excellent performance is acknowledged, with the team achieving victory in 21 out of 22 grands prix last season.
Horner was taken by surprise when the investigation was announced and was participating in a meeting of the F1 Commission in London at the time, as reported by The Times.
On Friday, Horner will face extensive questioning from the King’s Counsel appointed by Red Bull’s parent company to investigate the allegations of controlling behavior towards a female staff member.
Originally planned to take place at Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, the hearing may now be moved to the lawyer’s offices in London.
Red Bull has been instructed to give Alex Albon a second chance.
The female staff member has already been interviewed and is said to have presented evidence to support her claim.
The evidence will be reviewed over the upcoming weekend, and Red Bull’s owners will be advised on the necessary actions to be taken early next week, according to The Times.
Red Bull aims to resolve the matter before unveiling their 2024 F1 car on February 15, which is next Thursday.
According to the Source formula1news.co.uk