Red Bull's Future Engine Partner Ford Unsatisfied With Christian Horner Investigation—Will This Affect 2026 Collaboration?

Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley has conveyed his dissatisfaction with Red Bull Racing about the investigation into their team principal and CEO Christian Horner.

Horner faces accusations of "inappropriate behavior" towards a female colleague, with the details first coming to light earlier this month. He has since denied the allegations.

Red Bull has refrained from publicly disclosing details of the accusations, initially framing the internal investigation as an inquiry into Horner's "aggressive management style." However, the nature of the allegations has since shifted, with recent reports now indicating concerns related to sexual misconduct.

In a letter obtained by the news outlet Associated Press, dated Friday, February 23, Farley expressed concern that 11 days had passed since Ford requested additional information regarding the investigation into the accusations against Horner.

"As we have indicated previously, without satisfactory response, Ford's values are non-negotiable. It is imperative that our racing partners share and demonstrate a genuine commitment to those same values," Farley wrote in the letter.

Farley added that while Ford trusts in the fairness of the investigation, the company is growing increasingly frustrated due to the lack of resolution or a clear indication from Red Bull on when a fair resolution of the matter is anticipated.

The 61-year-old executive expressed discontent with the insufficient transparency surrounding the issue. He also emphasized the expectation of receiving a comprehensive account of all findings when the investigation is all said and done.

Will Christian Horner saga affect upcoming Red Bull-Ford partnership?

While the official partnership between Red Bull and Ford has yet to begin, as the reigning Constructors' champions will continue to use the Honda RBPT engine until the end of 2025, plans for collaboration with the American car company have been set in motion.

As early as February 2023, Red Bull and Ford announced their intention to partner in creating the power unit for the major regulations overhaul scheduled for 2026.

With Red Bull getting a hang on how to create F1 power units with the establishment of Red Bull Powertrains in 2021, Ford will contribute expertise in various areas, encompassing battery cell and electric motor technology.

Additionally, the Michigan-based company will lend their proficiency in power unit control software and analytics, along with combustion engine development.

The Horner controversy is definitely huge, with reports saying that during a deposition of the team executive, nearly 100 pieces of evidence were introduced. Allegedly, the 50-year-old offered his accuser a settlement in the six-figure range.

The fate of this partnership definitely hangs in the balance as of the moment, and it will depend on the results of the investigations which is set to be released in the coming days before the Bahrain Grand Prix, as well as Red Bull's final decision regarding his post.

Horner has continued to conduct his duties as team principal, attending the pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 23 to 25.