Red Bull Racing’s current engine partner Honda has called for increased transparency over the independent investigation which cleared Christian Horner of misconduct called by Red Bull GmbH.
The Japanese company released a statement to BBC on Thursday evening which stated that they were looking forward to revealing further ‘clarity’.
Meanwhile, Horner has arrived at the track in Jeddah ahead of Friday’s qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
‘We do not have full details on the matter at this point,’ Honda’s statement read, ‘therefore Honda are not in a position to make any detailed comment.
‘We look forward to full clarity as soon as possible’.
Christian Horner arrived at Jeddah’s Corniche Circuit on Friday after Honda called for ‘full clarity’ in the investigation which cleared him of misconduct
The 50-year-old has been at the centre of a roiling scandal engulfing the sport after being initially cleared due to the anonymous release of a tranch of leaked texts and pictures alleged to have been sent by Horner to the female employee involved in the investigation.
Horner has denied the allegations and stated that he will not comment on ‘anonymous speculation from unknown sources’.
The employee was on Thursday suspended from her role at Red Bull as a direct result of the investigation, with Mail Sport revealing that she had been told her evidence was ‘dishonest’.
Red Bull Racing have been partnered with Honda Motor Co since 2019, and the manufacturer supplies the power units for both Red Bull and its sister team RB, after they first teamed up with the latter – then named Scuderia Toro Rosso – in 2018.
Honda is not the only team partner to have shared a public statement on the investigation into Horner and its aftermath, with future engine supplier Ford saying in February – while the investigation was ongoing – that they expect ‘high standards of behaviour’.
Horner has worked with Honda at Red Bull since they became their engine supplier in 2019
Mark Rushbrook, the global head of Ford Performance Motorsport, said: ‘As a family company, and a company that holds itself to very high standards of behaviour and integrity, we do expect the same from our partners.
‘It appears to us, and what we’ve been told, was that Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously. And, of course, they’re worried about their brand as well.
‘And that’s why they’ve got an independent investigation and until we see what truth comes out of that, it’s too early for us to comment on it all.’
But the company fell silent in the later revelations over the alleged WhatsApps, with Ford declining to comment when approached by Mail Sport last Thursday.
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