- Creator: Andrew Benson
- F1 Chief Author
picture supply, Getty Photographs
Christian Horner has been the boss of the Crimson Bull crew since its first begin on the F1 grid in 2005
The boss of the Crimson Bull crew was questioned for a number of hours by a lawyer on Friday over allegations regarding his conduct in the direction of a feminine worker.
A Crimson Bull spokesman stated: “It might not be acceptable to touch upon this till the investigation is full.”
Horner denied the claims to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
It’s unclear whether or not the matter might be resolved earlier than Crimson Bull's 2024 launch at their Milton Keynes manufacturing facility on February 15, the place their new automotive is because of be unveiled.
Crimson Bull nonetheless plans for the occasion to go forward.
The investigation into Horner might take weeks and there are even questions on whether or not it is going to be accomplished in time for the beginning of the season.
Pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain from February 21 to 23. The primary race of the season, additionally within the Gulf state, is held on the 1st-Third. march
The corporate stated in an announcement earlier this week that it was taking the state of affairs “extraordinarily severely”.
Horner's query will inevitably overshadow Crimson Bull's begin. Even when Horner was there, he’s unlikely to have the ability to reply questions on it, however it is going to be the main focus of questions on him and drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.
The controversy comes amid reviews of rifts and tensions inside Crimson Bull, together with claims that Horner was opposed by motorsport adviser Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen, father of three-time Crimson Bull world champion Max.
To this point, Crimson Bull, Marko and Verstappen have remained silent on all such issues.
Regardless of the layoff, Verstappen and Crimson Bull will begin the season as scorching favorites to win a fourth consecutive world championship.
The 26-year-old Dutchman dominated final season, successful 19 of twenty-two races amongst a bunch of different data. Mexico's Perez gained two of the remaining three races as Crimson Bull completed first and second within the drivers' championship for the primary time in its historical past.
Their acclaimed technical director Adrian Newey stated the brand new automotive, the RB20, can be an evolution of its massively profitable predecessor.
Most in F1 count on it to stay the quickest automotive on the grid; the principle query heading into the season is whether or not any of the crew's major rivals – Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin – can get far sufficient to make the season aggressive.
