SACHIR – Purple Bull on Wednesday denied allegations of misconduct towards crew principal Christian Horner, bringing to a detailed an investigation that has overshadowed the beginning of the Components 1 season.
Horner will stay in control of the F1 championship crew after an inside Purple Bull investigation cleared him of alleged misconduct towards a crew worker.
Particulars of the costs haven’t been launched, however the investigation was a significant speaking level forward of this weekend's season-opening race in Bahrain. Purple Bull's announcement got here shortly after the crew's drivers accomplished their common pre-race media availability and fewer than 24 hours earlier than the primary follow session.
“An unbiased investigation into the allegations made towards Mr Horner has been accomplished and Purple Bull can verify that the grievance has been dismissed. The complainant has the appropriate to attraction. Purple Bull is assured that the investigation was honest, rigorous and neutral,” father or mother firm Purple Bull mentioned in an announcement.
“The investigation report is confidential and accommodates non-public data of the events and third events who assisted within the investigation, and subsequently we won’t remark additional on it out of respect for all events concerned. Purple Bull will proceed to attempt to fulfill the very best requirements within the office.”
Purple Bull gained all however one race final season and its driver Max Verstappen is the three-time defending champion.
Horner remained in his publish in the course of the investigation in what he known as a “enterprise as regular” strategy and was in control of the squad for final week's pre-season exams, though he admitted the investigation was a distraction. He denied the blame.
F1 and its governing physique, the FIA, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark after Purple Bull mentioned the grievance towards Horner had been dismissed.
Mercedes driver and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton mentioned earlier than the announcement that the Horner investigation was a check of the game's values.
“Any allegations needs to be taken very significantly. After all we don't know every part that occurred, however we have to kind it out as a result of it hangs over the game,” Hamilton mentioned. “I believe this can be a actually vital second for the game to verify we stand true to our values.”
Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Co., which is slated to change into Purple Bull's engine provider in 2026, wrote to the crew final week in a letter seen by The Related Press, demanding that the investigation be resolved.
Rival crew bosses Toto Wolff of Mercedes and Zak Brown of McLaren final week known as for the investigation to be clear.
Horner, 50, has been Purple Bull crew boss since becoming a member of F1 as a constructor in 2005. Throughout his time on the crew, he led the crew to 6 constructors' championships and 7 drivers' championships.
Purple Bull gained 4 consecutive drivers' titles with Sebastian Vettel between 2010 and 2013 and three with Verstappen from 2021.
Horner is married to Geri Halliwell, higher referred to as Ginger Spice from the feminine pop group The Spice Women.
Horner's profile outdoors F1 has been raised by his distinguished position within the Netflix documentary 'Drive to Survive' and his embattled relationship with Wolff amid a bitter title battle between Verstappen and Hamilton in 2021.
Verstappen mentioned the investigation was not a distraction from his pursuit of a fourth consecutive title. The Dutch driver gained a report 19 races final season and is broadly considered the clear favourite this yr, helped by a closely redesigned Purple Bull automotive.
“Myself, I'm very targeted on simply the efficiency of the automotive and I hope that (the investigation) will likely be resolved quickly,” Verstappen mentioned on Wednesday earlier than Purple Bull issued its assertion. “It's a crew effort that everybody has to stay collectively and work in direction of better success, so it's vital to get every part resolved as quickly as potential.”
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AP Auto Racing author Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, NC contributed to this report.
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