Christian Horner, the historic head of the Red Bull racing team who has served as 'team principal' since its inception in 2005, has been cleared of allegations of "inappropriate behaviour", the energy drinks company announced on Wednesday. The announcement came on the eve of the start of the Formula One season with the Bahrain Grand Prix. In a statement released by Red Bull and quoted by AFP, the company said: "The complaint has been dismissed" following a "fair, rigorous and impartial" internal investigation. As a result, Horner will continue in his position of responsibility within the company. Horner had been in the news since 5 February, when Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf revealed that he was under internal investigation for "inappropriate behaviour" towards an employee.

Horner has denied the allegations "completely". On 10th February he gave evidence to "an external specialist lawyer" for Red Bull. The investigation continued until Red Bull was satisfied that "the investigation into the allegations against Horner has been concluded and Red Bull can confirm that the complaint has been dismissed". "The complainant has the right to appeal," the statement continued.

One of the most important figures in the team's short and storied history has been given a vote of confidence. The statement continued: "Red Bull is confident that the investigation was fair, rigorous and impartial. The investigation report is confidential and contains private information from the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation. Therefore, we will not be making any further comments regarding the parties involved," Red Bull said. The arrival of Horner, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, at Red Bull has transformed the team into a force to be reckoned with in F1. They have won seven individual titles, four for German Sebastian Vettel (from 2010 to 2013) and three for Dutchman Max Verstappen (from 2021 to 2023).

Its success also extends to the Constructors' Championship. Red Bull has won it six times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022 and 2023). Their dominance last season was overwhelming, winning 21 out of 22 Grand Prix races. The 'Horner case' shocked F1. The most important people in the sport demanded a solution. Lewis Hamilton himself called for a quick resolution. He told AFP. "He said: "It's a very important moment for the sport to make sure we stay true to our values.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also weighed in: "It's a problem for the whole of Formula One. We want to talk about sport and not about such serious matters." He called for the investigation to be "rigorous". Wolff was the only 'team principal' to comment on the matter: "If everything is done correctly, with transparency and rigour, we need to look at the results, what it means for F1 and learn from it." Horner, for his part, urged caution: "There is a process going on and I am part of it and I am afraid I have no comment. I really cannot comment."