Christian Horner’s accuser has filed an official complaint against him with the FIA, as reported by the BBC this afternoon.
The employee, who has been suspended by Red Bull, lodged a complaint with the ethics committee of the Formula 1 governing body.
Horner was investigated by an independent lawyer following complaints about his behavior, but was cleared of any wrongdoing by Red Bull GmBH.
She is urging Red Bull to reconsider its decision through an appeal that has been recently filed by new lawyers, according to the Press Association. This is the final attempt at mediation before potentially pursuing legal action.
Simultaneously, a complaint has been filed with the FIA. According to the BBC, an initial complaint was submitted to the FIA on February 2nd, followed by a second one on March 6th.
“BBC Sport learned that one of the complaints was sent to the FIA’s ethics and compliance hotline on February 2nd, directly addressing Horner’s behavior towards an employee, urging the FIA to investigate the matter and expressing concern that Red Bull may try to cover it up.”
“The second complaint on March 6th referenced the first and warned that the whistleblower would subsequently inform the media, which was done through an anonymous email to the entire F1 paddock.”
The FIA has not responded to the BBC’s requests for comments on these matters.
A spokesperson for Red Bull Racing stated that they were unaware of the complaint to the FIA and declined to provide further comments.
Update at 9:01 pm: The FIA has responded tonight to these new revelations from the BBC. They neither confirm nor deny and cannot provide comments.
“At the FIA, inquiries and complaints are received and handled by the compliance officer and, if necessary, by the ethics committee.”
“Both bodies operate independently, ensuring strict confidentiality throughout the process.”
“As a result, we are generally unable to confirm the receipt of a specific complaint and are unlikely to provide further comments on complaints we may receive from either party.”