LONDON: The female Red Bull employee at the center of allegations against Christian Horner has lodged an official complaint to Formula 1’s governing body the FIA, the BBC reported on Saturday.
Allegations of inappropriate behavior against Red Bull’s embattled team principal have overshadowed the opening weeks of the 2024 F1 season.
Horner was cleared of wrongdoing by an internal investigation carried out by Red Bull’s parent company last month.
However, the saga has not ended there as an anonymous email was sent to Formula One staff and media the next day containing alleged messages from Horner to a female member of the team.
Red Bull then suspended the employee at the center of the allegations.
However, she has now appealed that suspension with Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the Formula One team.
Horner has guided Red Bull to six constructors’ championship wins and seven drivers’ title triumphs since 2005, including the last three won by Max Verstappen.
But the star driver’s father, Jos Verstappen, claimed earlier this month that Red Bull faced being “torn apart” if Horner remained in his position.
In a statement to AFP, the FIA said: “Enquiries and complaints are received and managed by the compliance officer, and the ethics committee where appropriate.
“Both bodies operate autonomously, guaranteeing strict confidentiality throughout the process. As a consequence, and in general, we are unable to confirm the receipt of any specific complaint.”
Horner, 50, has always denied the claims made against him.
He was accompanied by his wife — the former Spice Girls pop star Geri Halliwell — at the first two Grand Prix races this season.
“There was a grievance that was raised, it was dealt with in the most professional manner,” said Horner ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
“An independent KC (King’s Counsel), that is one of the most reputable KCs in the land, and he took time to investigate fully all of the facts.
“He interviewed all of the people involved as well as others of interest. He looked at everything and he came to the conclusion where he dismissed the grievance.
“As far as I am concerned, and as far as Red Bull are concerned, we moved on and we look to the future. The time now is to draw a line under it.”
On the track, the season has started far more smoothly for the defending world champions.
Verstappen has finished ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez for one-two victories in the opening races of the year in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Red Bull employee lodges complaint against Horner with FIA — report
https://arab.news/9xhag
Red Bull employee lodges complaint against Horner with FIA — report
- Red Bull then suspended the employee at the center of the allegations
- She has now appealed that suspension with Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the Formula One team
Al-Attiyah claims victory at 2026 Hail Baja international rally
HAIL: The Hail Baja Toyota International Rally 2026 ended on Saturday with Nasser Al-Attiyah claiming overall victory, completing the event in a total time of 4 hours, 6 minutes, 23 seconds. Yazeed Al-Rajhi finished second with 4:07:05, while Dania Akeel secured third place with 4:20:47.
The event was organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport, the Hail Region Emirate and the Hail Region Development Authority, with Jameel Motorsport as official partner alongside the Saudi Motorsport Marshals Club.
The winners were crowned by Mansour Al-Mokbel, CEO of Saudi Motorsport Company, in the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, chairman of the Hail Region Development Authority board.
The ceremony followed the second and final stage of the rally, which was hosted in Baqaa and covered a total distance of 323 km, including 151 km of the timed special stage.
The event brought together 152 drivers and navigators from 26 nationalities, including 72 Saudis, with 93 vehicles competing across six categories.
Overall classification — Hail Baja Toyota International Rally 2026
FIA Ultimate Category
Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar)
Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Saudi Arabia)
Dania Akeel (Saudi Arabia)
FIA Challenger Category
Yasir Bin Saiedan (Saudi Arabia)
Hamad Al-Wuhaibi (Oman)
Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
FIA SSV Category
Fernando Alvarez (Argentina)
Mansour Al-Helai (UAE)
Erik van Loon (Netherlands)
FIA Stock Category
Majed Al-Thunayan (Saudi Arabia)
Abdullah Al-Shegawi (Saudi Arabia)
Al-Mashna Al-Shammari (Saudi Arabia)
FIM Motorcycles Category
Alex McInnes (Great Britain)
Mohammed Al-Balooshi (UAE)
Sultan Al-Balooshi (UAE)
FIM Quad Bikes Category
Hani Al-Noumesi (Saudi Arabia)
Abdulaziz Al-Atwi (Saudi Arabia)
Ahmed Al-Jaber (Saudi Arabia)
Saudi Toyota Baja Championship
Ultimate Cars Category
Faris Al-Shammari (Saudi Arabia)
Motab Al-Qnon (Saudi Arabia)
Khalaf Al-Shammari (Saudi Arabia)
SSV Category
Prince Sultan bin Turki bin Sultan (Saudi Arabia)
Mashael Al-Huwaish (Saudi Arabia)
Abdulmoeen Al-Shawaf (Saudi Arabia)
Stock Category
Mohammed Al-Asiri (Saudi Arabia)
Salem Al-Quraini (Saudi Arabia)
Hatem Al-Shammari (Saudi Arabia)
The Hail Baja international rally is considered one of the region’s premier motorsport events. It has been a key fixture on the desert rally calendar for more than two decades, offering high standards and an exciting sporting experience for both competitors and spectators. The rally also holds an important position on the calendars of several regional and international championships, reinforcing its status as one of the standout cross-country rallies in the region and reflecting Saudi Arabia’s growing reputation as a global motorsport destination.
