Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, made a public appearance with his wife Geri Halliwell, famously known as Ginger Spice from the iconic girl group, the Spice Girls.
The president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, addressed concerns regarding Horner’s situation, stating that any complaints made to the compliance officer would be thoroughly investigated. However, as of now, the FIA has not received any formal complaints and will not rush to conclusions, as reported by the Financial Times. Ben Sulayem expressed his belief that such controversies are detrimental to the sport, emphasizing the negative impact on a personal level.
Earlier this week, the parent company of Red Bull Racing dismissed an allegation of misconduct made against Horner by a team member. Subsequently, during the practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, a file containing potential evidence against Horner was anonymously circulated to approximately 200 individuals in the F1 paddock, including Liberty Media, F1, the FIA, other team principals, and various media outlets. It is important to note that the authenticity of these files has not been verified by The Associated Press, as they were sent from a generic email account.
In response to the allegations, Horner has firmly denied any wrongdoing and has chosen not to engage in anonymous speculations, as stated in a press release issued on Thursday. Despite the distractions, Max Verstappen, the three-time defending champion, expressed his support for Horner, affirming his dedication to the team while acknowledging the potential impact of the situation on his role as team principal.