Red Bull boss Christian Horner used the team principals’ press conference before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to call it time “to draw a line under” the furore that has surrounded him for weeks now.
That might be easier said than done after the female colleague who initially lodged the complaint about him was suspended from her post.
In addition, plenty continue to line up to ask for greater transparency from Red Bull over the matter, from the team’s engine supplier, Honda, to rival team principals.
Horner is of the view that it is now case closed.
Speaking yesterday, he said: “The reality is that there was a grievance raised, it was dealt with in the most professional manner by the group, that appointed an independent KC, one of the most reputable in the land.
“He took time to investigate all the facts. He looked at everything and he came to a conclusion where he dismissed the grievance. As far as I’m concerned, as far as Red Bull is concerned, we move on.”
Horner must know, in truth, it is not as simple as that, with his star driver Max Verstappen having made it clear a day earlier his allegiance in all this lies with his dad, Jos, who has an unexplained, major grievance with Horner.
Red Bull’s team principal likes to talk about focusing on the job of motor racing and, come qualifying at 5pm GMT today, he will finally get a reprieve of sorts.
Horner knows that any doubters still within the Red Bull hierarchy will be predominantly pacified should the team continue to dominate. They had a perfect opening weekend, on the track at least, in Bahrain with a one-two finish, pole position and the fastest lap.
Despite Fernando Alonso topping the first practice session in Jeddah yesterday in his Aston Martin, the understanding up and down the F1 grid is that Saudi Arabia will, in all likelihood, be a repeat of Bahrain.
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Such an outcome would help ease the burden on Horner but, despite his protestations yesterday and having been exonerated in the investigation, the matter is not going away.
Questions will remain why his colleague was suspended, and those will only heighten with Red Bull’s wall of silence.
Of that situation, Horner said: “There is a grievance process in any company and that process is confidential between the individuals and the company itself. We are all bound by the same restrictions. Even if I would like to talk about it, I can’t.”