Red Bull announced on Thursday that the appeal of an employee who accused the head of the company's Formula 1 team, Christian Horner, of inappropriate conduct has been dismissed. The initial complaint, which was investigated earlier this year, was found to be without merit. The company stated that the complaint was handled through its grievance procedure by an independent counsel, who ultimately dismissed the grievance.
The employee was granted the right to appeal, leading to a second investigation conducted by another independent counsel. Red Bull confirmed that all stages of the appeal process have now been completed, with the final decision being that the appeal was not upheld.
The employee in question was suspended with pay back in March, although the current status of the individual was not addressed in the recent announcement.
Following the initial dismissal of the complaint against Horner in March, a file containing alleged evidence against him was circulated via email to nearly 200 individuals in the F1 paddock, including various stakeholders and media outlets. However, the authenticity of the files was never verified, as they originated from a generic email account.
Throughout the entire process, Christian Horner has continued to lead the F1 team without facing any apparent repercussions. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, the team's driver and three-time world champion, has achieved significant success on the track, winning seven races and currently leading the F1 points standings as the series enters its annual summer break.
Despite the resolution of the appeal, tensions persist between Horner and Jos Verstappen, Max's father, who have engaged in public exchanges of accusations and denials regarding Jos's alleged involvement in the employee's pursuit of damages.
While the specific details of the allegations have not been disclosed publicly, the investigation surrounding the complaint against Horner garnered significant attention within the F1 community earlier in the season. The saga unfolded just before the start of the season, but has since receded from the spotlight, with the focus shifting to the upcoming races.
The Formula 1 season is set to resume on August 25 with the Dutch Grand Prix, which will serve as Max Verstappen's home race.
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