Red Bull released a statement from Christian Horner post the investigation, as Toto Wolff and Zak Brown add their views.
Red Bull GmbH has been handling the Horner matter since it broke out early in February. It finally concluded this week when the Brit was cleared of any wrongdoing while keeping an option open for appeal for the complainant if she wishes too.
Red Bull feels they were as transparent but multiple reports seem to say otherwise which has gathered queries from rivals including Mercedes’ Wolff and McLaren’s Brown. Although they are okay with the decision, but it has left them with questions still.
Red Bull, meanwhile, had to release a statement on behalf of Horner after alleged chats of the investigation was leaked to media along with F1 and FIA officials on the eve of Bahrain GP. It was sent by an anonymous mailer which had Whatsapp chat screenshots.
While there is no verification of the same, but it has since surfaced online too. “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” said the Red Bull team boss via a statement.
“I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way. It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made. I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”
In terms of the statement by Red Bull GmbH, both Wolff and Brown termed it basic one from the company which has left thing very opaque in terms of understanding and transparency. They feel whether team and or F1 needs to address this in general too.
Reaction to statement –
Wolff: “Well, I just read the statement, which was pretty basic, I would say. My personal opinion is we can’t really look behind the curtain. At the end of the day, there is a lady in an organisation that has that has spoken to HR and said there is an issue and it was investigated and yesterday, you know, the sport has received the message, it’s all fine, we’ve looked at it. I believe that with the aspiration as a global sport on such critical topics it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is. We are competitors, we are a team, and we can have our own personal opinions or not, but it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need to assess what is right in that situation and what is wrong.”
Brown: “I read the statement. I think from what I’ve seen there continues to be a lot of rumours and speculation, questions. I think the sanctioning body has a responsibility and authority to our sport to our fans. I think all of us in Formula 1 are ambassadors for the sport on and off the track, like you see in other sports and so I think they need to make sure that things have been fully transparent with them. I don’t know what those conversations are and it needs to be thorough, fully transparent, and that they come to the same conclusion that has been given by Red Bull and that they agree with the outcome. But I think until then, there’ll continue to be speculation because there are a lot of unanswered questions about the whole process, and so I think that’s what’s needed by those that run the sport to really be able to draw a line under it. Until then, I think there’ll continue to be some level of speculation by people, and I don’t think that’s healthy for the sport.”
What Mercedes or McLaren would have done –
Wolff: “Again, as I said, we are being asked questions as competitors here. And are we talking as competitors? Are we talking with the right moral approach, with the values based on the speculations that are out there? But I just simply think that as a sport, we cannot afford to leave things in the vague and in the opaque on critical topics like this. Because this is going to catch us out. Eventually… We are in a super transparent world. Eventually things are going to happen. and I think we have the duty or the organisation has the duty to say well we’ve looked at it and it’s OK and then we can move on. I think it’s sometimes very short-sighted to try, you know, suppress it, but not saying this has happened, we’re standing from the outside and looking at it, but just looking at statements or press releases or timelines, it just seems that it’s not as modern as things go in this world, in the real world out there. But maybe in Formula 1, we just have a little bubble and we think that’s OK.”
Brown: “Yeah, I think, I mean, as I said earlier, I think it’s the responsibility ultimately of the organisers of Formula 1, the owners of Formula 1, to make sure that all the racing teams and the personnel and the drivers and everyone involved in this sport are operating in a manner which we all live by. So I don’t think it’s the teams’ roles and responsibilities. So those questions you mentioned I think that’s up to FIA and Formula 1 to ultimately decide, and to ask what they feel gives them the level of transparency that they need to ultimately come to their conclusion And we just have to count on them that they fulfil that obligation to all of us.”
Here’s Red Bull statement on the matter
Here’s Ford on needing quick resolution
Here’s Christian Horner strongly responding on Red Bull-Visa Cash App matter
Here’s Toto Wolff on Christian Horner’s case
Here’s F1 wanting quick clarification
Here’s Red Bull trio on current situation
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