Red Bull F1: ‘Employee who accused Horner was also Newey’s personal assistant’

Adrian Newey will reportedly leave Red Bull Racing in the wake of the situation surrounding team boss Christian Horner. It would be a personal and not a business decision. The employee who filed a complaint turned out to be not only Horner’s personal assistant, but also Newey’s.

The row at the energy drink manufacturer started when Horner was investigated following allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a female colleague. After an independent investigation that lasted the entire month of February, the complaint was rejected by Red Bull GmbH. A day after that decision, photos of alleged WhatsApp conversations between Horner and that colleague were leaked via an anonymous email and circulated around the Formula 1 paddock in Bahrain. The consequence of the power struggle at Red Bull is not only that Max Verstappen may switch to Mercedes, but also reportedly the loss of the chief designer and technical director at the Austrian racing team.

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Personal decision

The usually well-informed sources of Auto Motor und Sport and the BBC were able to report earlier this week that Newey would soon resign. It is not yet known whether the 65-year-old Briton will join another team, such as Aston Martin, Ferrari or Mercedes, or whether he will retire. Due to the fact that Newey’s contract with Red Bull runs until the end of 2025 and because of rules surrounding the so-called gardening leavehe may not be allowed to work for a new employer until 2027.

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Mark Hughes, the experienced F1 journalist and analyst from, among others Motor Sports-magazine, Sky Sports F1, TheRace and Formula 1 itself, could reveal that if Newey leaves, it would be a personal decision and not a business decision. The employee who filed the complaint against Horner was not only the team boss’s personal assistant, but also Newey’s. Newey’s possible departure could reportedly increase the chance that Horner’s role as team boss at Red Bull is in jeopardy. The Austrian management could blame him for losing the mastermind behind so many dominant F1 cars due to this situation.

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