Surprising turnaround

F1 bang! Horner to be sacked after all

Christian Horner

(Bild: APA/AFP/Andrej ISAKOVIC)

After Christian Horner was pardoned by Red Bull in the case surrounding the sex messages he allegedly sent, the team boss is now facing the sack after all. As reported by "F1 Insider", Horner's original confidant Chalerm Yoovidhya has switched sides.

The Thai, who owns 51 percent of Red Bull, is said to have spoken out in favor of the Briton staying on as recently as last week, while sports boss Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport consultant Dr. Helmut Marko have turned against Horner. 

Fear of damage to image
Now the surprising turnaround: Influential women's rights activists in the USA are said to have protested against the Red Bull Group due to the Horner case; with Ford as an engine partner (from 2026), the Formula 1 racing team wants to avoid negative sentiment at all costs, it is said, which is why Yoovidhya is now also said to have given in. In addition, the cops were afraid of a civil lawsuit from the female employee who had accused the 50-year-old of sexually harassing her in the form of text messages and photos.

Mintzlaff had traveled to Jeddah, where the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix took place on Saturday, for a crisis meeting due to the commotion in the bull pen. In a clarifying discussion, the German advised Marko not to resign from Red Bull, according to reports. Whether Mintzlaff succeeded in keeping the Styrian on board with the promise that Horner would fly is not publicly known, but the report certainly offers plenty of room for speculation ...