As the 2024 Formula 1 season unfolds, Red Bull Racing’s team principal Christian Horner continues to confront the lingering controversies from the previous year. Despite facing a challenging off-season, Horner received the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) honour for his contributions to motorsport, which he accepted during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
The past year was undoubtedly significant for Red Bull, highlighted by driver Max Verstappen’s remarkable achievement of securing a fourth consecutive championship title. However, the on-track triumphs were sometimes overshadowed by allegations against Horner, which raised eyebrows within the F1 community regarding the integrity of the investigations into his conduct.
In March, an independent inquiry cleared Horner of accusations of inappropriate behaviour, yet he faced further scrutiny when another appeal was dismissed in August. These events prompted other team leaders, such as Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and McLaren’s Zak Brown, to call for increased transparency in F1’s governance.
Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix next week, the popular Netflix series, Drive to Survive, is set to delve into the intricacies of Horner’s situation and the relationship dynamics between F1 teams. In the documentary, Horner expresses candidly about the investigation’s pressures, stating, "Zak’s a prick. I’ll get through it," revealing the personal toll such scrutiny can take.
Horner acknowledged the betrayal often inherent in the competitive world of F1, sharing, "You find out who your friends are, don’t you? The higher you rise, the sharper the knives." He reflected on the formidable challenges he’d faced in a role where he acts as the public face of Red Bull Racing.
After the conclusion of the second investigation, Horner made a striking appearance at the Bahrain Grand Prix alongside his partner, Geri Halliwell, even as the media buzzed with leaked information from the inquiry. Notably, Red Bull triumphed with a dominating 1-2 finish in Bahrain, an outcome that Horner celebrated emphatically, declaring, "That’s the best way to f— them all. Shut the f— up."
Despite the controversies, Horner remains a pivotal figure in F1, determined to navigate the tumultuous waters of the sport while upholding the success of Red Bull Racing amidst adversity.