Beneath the Grid: Formula 1’s Reckoning with Power, Silence, and the Women It Ignores

The Scandal That Slipped Through the Gears

In March 2024, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner was accused of inappropriate behavior by a female employee. While Red Bull’s parent company conducted an internal investigation and quickly cleared him of wrongdoing, the credibility of that process came under fire. The investigation was described as rushed, opaque, and led by a law firm reportedly chosen by Red Bull itself.

What followed was even more explosive: a dossier of alleged WhatsApp messages—containing flirtatious and manipulative language—was leaked to several outlets and circulated within the paddock. The authenticity of the messages was not formally confirmed, but their widespread visibility, combined with the lack of further investigation, raised major concerns about how the sport protects its most powerful figures.

Formula 1’s Culture of Silence

Despite its high-tech allure, Formula 1 remains strikingly conservative when it comes to internal culture. According to the FIA Diversity & Inclusion Report (2023):

• Only 1.5% of senior team roles in F1 are held by women.
• No woman has competed in an F1 Grand Prix since Lella Lombardi in 1976.
• Just 4 out of 10 teams have a published anti-harassment protocol.

Current and former female staff describe an environment where misogyny is tolerated, and where speaking out is seen as a career risk. In interviews conducted by The Guardian, women described being ignored during meetings, excluded from promotions, and discouraged from reporting inappropriate behavior. The message, they said, was clear: "The track might be fast, but progress off it is glacial."

The FIA's #WeRaceAsOne campaign, launched in 2020, was meant to promote inclusion. But insiders suggest it’s become a branding exercise with limited action. Reports are irregular, programs are underfunded, and internal reform remains slow.

The Leaks and the Legal Gray Zone

The leaked dossier reportedly included dozens of messages—some overtly flirtatious, others coercive. One exchange suggested Horner used his role to pressure the complainant into silence, implying consequences for her role and travel if she spoke out. Though never officially verified, the content was widely viewed and debated across motorsport media.

Red Bull Racing has declined to comment since the leak. The original investigation remains closed. Labor law experts told Vox that the internal nature of the process—where employer, investigator, and communication strategy all stem from Red Bull—represents a major conflict of interest.

Advocacy groups like Women in Sport and Fair Play for Women called for an independent inquiry. Their public petitions reached tens of thousands of signatures. Still, no action has been taken by the FIA or Liberty Media.

Who Spoke — And Who Didn’t

Lewis Hamilton broke ranks, calling the incident “worrying” and urging for more transparency and workplace safety. “We need to protect everyone who works in this sport,” he said in a March 2024 interview.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s star driver, deflected. “I just want to focus on racing,” he said during a press appearance. Meanwhile, his father Jos Verstappen publicly supported Horner and accused the media of stoking division.

Not a single woman in a team principal or senior technical role commented publicly. According to anonymous sources, many feared retaliation or being frozen out of career pathways.

The Structural Problem No One Wants to Touch

F1 governance gives teams almost complete autonomy over internal matters. Unlike drivers or engineers, who fall under FIA regulations, team bosses operate in legal gray zones. The FIA was not obligated—or even invited—to intervene in the Horner case.

Liberty Media, F1’s parent company, stayed silent as well. BBC columnist Andrew Benson noted: “This is a systemic issue—F1 has no mechanism for truly independent investigation or enforcement when the accused is at the top.”

Calls for the creation of a neutral ethics panel have grown. Still, F1 has yet to adopt a governance model similar to those in the IOC or UEFA.

What's Changed Since?

• Christian Horner remains team principal at Red Bull Racing.
• The complainant has left the sport and is reportedly pursuing legal action.
• No major policy reforms have been introduced by the FIA as of July 2025.

One source of optimism is More Than Equal, a grassroots initiative co-founded by David Coulthard to support female racing talent. The program has launched development tracks in Spain and the UK for girls ages 8–14, focusing on both driving and technical skills.

Speed Over Substance

Formula 1 sells itself as a futuristic, data-driven global sport. But the culture it sustains—particularly around power and accountability—is stuck in the past. When allegations against one of the sport’s most powerful figures are resolved internally and buried, what message does that send?

Until structural reforms are introduced—including independent oversight, clearer harassment policies, and real consequences for misconduct—Formula 1 will remain a case study in corporate self-preservation, not progress.