Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has challenged Formula One and its governing body to demand greater transparency in Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner.
Horner has been cleared to continue as Red Bull team principal following an internal investigation into “inappropriate behavior” towards a female colleague.
Horner was on the Red Bull pit wall on Thursday during both practice sessions of the new season.
“I’m glad the process is over and I can’t comment on it,” he told Sky Sports. ‘I’m focused on next season. Within the team (the unit) has never been stronger.”
Red Bull Racing’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, said it was confident the investigation into Horner had been “fair, rigorous and impartial”, but added that the report, which is understood to run to 150 pages, is “confidential.” “.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (above) has demanded greater transparency in Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner
Team principal Horner cleared of misconduct by Red Bull Racing on Wednesday
It is understood that neither Formula One owners Liberty Media nor its regulator the FIA ​​have seen the report.
However, on Thursday night there were growing calls in Bahrain for Red Bull GmbH to share details of its investigation.
“I just read the statement, which was pretty basic,” Wolff said. ‘My personal opinion is that we can’t really look behind the curtain.
“There is a lady in an organization who spoke to HR and said there was a problem and it was investigated and yesterday the sport received the message that everything is fine, we looked at it.”
‘I think that with the aspiration of being a global sport, on such critical issues, more transparency is needed and I wonder what the position of the sport is.
‘We are competitors, we are a team and we may or may not have our own personal opinions. But it’s more of a general reaction or action that we, as a sport, have to evaluate, what is right and what is wrong in that situation.
‘Are we speaking with the correct moral approach, with the values ​​based on the speculation that exists?
Horner, husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was accused of “coercive behavior towards an employee”, and Red Bull began its investigation on February 5.
“As a sport, we can’t afford to leave things vague and opaque on critical issues like this, because this is going to catch us off guard.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown agreed with his Mercedes counterpart.
“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the organizers of Formula One, the owners of Formula One, to ensure that all racing teams, staff, drivers and everyone else involved in the sport are operating in a manner in which which we all live by,” said the American.
‘I don’t think they are the roles and responsibilities of the teams. “It is up to the FIA ​​and Formula One to ultimately decide and ask what they believe gives them the level of transparency they need to reach their conclusion and we just have to count on them to fulfill that obligation to all of us.”
Formula One and the FIA ​​have been contacted for comment.
Horner, who has protested his innocence throughout, was questioned by a lawyer for eight hours earlier this month at a secret location in London.
He has been Red Bull team principal since they entered F1 19 years ago and is the longest-serving boss on the grid.
He has overseen seven world drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles.
Horner hugs three-time champion Verstappen in Bahrain ahead of 2024 premiere
Red Bull has dominated the sport in recent seasons and last year won 21 of 22 races, with Dutch driver Max Verstappen setting a new record of 10 consecutive victories as he claimed his third title.
Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, was awarded a CBE for services to motor sport in the New Year Honours.