How Horner's future was finally clarified

Christian Horner will stay on as team boss at Red Bull Racing. For weeks it has hung over F1, even after the winter test had started and finished. Before the on-track action begins, there is finally clarity. Here's a report on the day in Bahrain leading up to that moment.

I have been in Bahrain for eight days, and Horner has been the talking point since day one. He already was during Red Bull's car launch in Milton Keynes a week before the winter test. He already had to answer questions about the investigation there and did so again during the first days of the winter test. The team boss explained that he couldn't say much about the ongoing investigation.

A week later, there was still no clarity. On Wednesday, the paddock came alive again for media day, but Horner wasn't in Bahrain. It became clear that Horner was on his way to Bahrain but still awaiting a statement.

How Red Bull published the statement

It also remained unclear internally when a response would be forthcoming for a long time. Until an hour before the statement, some people within Red Bull still did not know what would happen. On site, I was told that a statement was coming but the outcome was not clear.

Half an hour before the news came out, the first signs that it would be 'good news' came out. Of course, it depends on how you look at it, but from the racing team's point of view, it can be assumed that Horner can stay as team boss.

About 15 minutes before the statement came out, some British mediaged to report the gist of the statement: Horner may stay on as team boss. Near the Red Bull hospitality, I stood next to Craig Slater of Sky Sports, who then got his hands on the statement and read it out. Red Bull GmbH officially reported that statement at 6.30pm local time.

This ends a long soap opera for now. For now, because it became clear earlier that the woman who made the charge may be considering filing a lawsuit. So, possibly, the whole affair will get another case.

Clearly, people at Red Bull Racing were also in the dark about when and what would be announced for a very long time. Until half an hour before the statement, most people internally at Red Bull Racing did not know what news would come. Throughout the day, there was big a question mark as to whether clarity would come at all on Wednesday.

This is how the paddock reacted to Red Bull

Red Bull's timing was spot on. After all, everyone had already left, and the media events were behind them. Apart from the statement, nothing came out, and Horner will not have to sit in at the team bosses' press conference on Thursday either. When he will first appear in front of the camera again is unclear at this stage. In any case, he is scheduled for a media moment after the Grand Prix, but there is a good chance he will appear in front of a Sky Sports camera before then.

It will come as a relief to everyone within Red Bull Racing. Despite the good performance on the track, the atmosphere was weighed down within the team by all the news about Horner. Max Verstappen was not worried about it and reiterated at the press conference that he was not concerned about it at all: "I have confidence in the process," he revealed several times.

In doing so, Verstappen did not defend Horner. Asked if he was fully behind Horner, he stated that he had full confidence in the process. In the media moment with the Dutch media, he said he did not care at all. He is paid to race and is fully focused on that. Verstappen wants to win the race.

With everyone already gone from the paddock, it is now anyone's guess as to the competitors' reactions. Lewis Hamilton said it was hanging over the sport. The Brit called it an important moment for the sport to see how this matter is handled. Toto Wolff will join the press conference on Thursday and will certainly be asked about it, as will Zak Brown and Frederic Vasseur for that matter.