A surprising detail has emerged regarding the handling of a complaint of inappropriate behaviour made against Red Bull Formula 1 team boss Christian Horner.
A hearing into the unspecified complaint made against Horner by a female staff member is set to take place on Friday.
Red Bull said it took the allegations "extremely seriously" when they emerged on Monday and have since started an investigation.
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When asked about the allegations by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Horner, who has won six constructors' championships with Red Bull, said: "I completely deny these claims."
Though Red Bull has not confirmed the nature of the complaint, BBC Sport reported that the claims relate to allegations of inappropriate and controlling behaviour and that a hearing is set to take place in the UK.
Meanwhile, a Times report has suggested that the relationship between Red Bull HQ and its racing team has become increasingly fractious, with the former now very much in control. This could potentially have implications for Horner.
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Indeed, when The Times approached Red Bull Racing with the allegation of a complaint against Horner on Sunday, it was reportedly denied repeatedly.
According to the publication, this is because the complaint by the female staff member was not made to the team’s HR department but to Red Bull HQ directly. The soft drinks brand went on to issue its statement without first notifying officials at the F1 team.
The Times report added that the apparent disconnect between the F1 team and their parent company “not only highlights the gravity of the situation but the potential vulnerability of Horner”.
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In a statement released on Monday, Red Bull said: "After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
"This process, which is already underway, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister. The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."
Topics: Formula 1, Red Bull Racing
Chris Byfield