Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has opened up about “a very, very difficult” period after allegations were made against him in 2024.

Horner was accused of inappropriate behaviour by a Red Bull colleague ahead of the 2024 season.

Christian Horner on 2024 saga: ‘That tests you as a person’

The 52-year-old, who has consistently denied the allegations, was cleared following an internal investigation, with the complainant’s appeal dismissed.

Horner went on to leave Red Bull in July last year following the team’s disappointing start to the 2025 season.

Ahead of the release of his memoir, Drive, Horner has revealed how the saga affected him personally.

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Appearing on the Up To Speed podcast, Horner paid tribute to the “phenomenal support” of his wife Geri.

He also claimed that the pressure exerted on him and Red Bull by “certain sectors within the paddock wasn’t pleasant either” as rivals aimed to capitalise on his and the team’s sudden “weakness.”

Reflecting on the events of early 2024, he said: “It was a very, very tough period.

“The easiest thing would have been to roll over and walk away. But I stuck to my principles and believed in the process.

“Because a lot, obviously, was going on behind the scenes in terms of in the build-up to the 2024 season and we’re building an engine, we’re preparing to defend a championship, and there’s an investigation, obviously, that was conducted as with any grievance that is raised within a company.

“Now this was taken outside of the company and placed with an independent KC, King’s Counsel, that are bound by their own statutes and were employed to go and do a thorough job on it.

“And there’s a huge uncertainty during that period. I spent my time, I went through the process, they came to a conclusion, they dismissed all the allegations.

“And then of course there’s a right to appeal. So the appeal went in and then there’s another KC appointed to make sure that, again, it’s truly, truly independent.

“But of course, in the meantime, there’d been certain leakage to media and that then puts your family in the spotlight and the media circus.

“And that was tough. That tests you as a person, as a character, and the strength of your family and your partner and your wife.

“I’m married to a very public lady and Geri’s support during that period was phenomenal.

“We came through it and, in the meantime, we’re still winning races.

“So every time I crossed that red line as you walked in the garage, it was like: ‘Oof.’

“Because I knew the people, the mechanics, the technicians, the people in the garage weren’t judging me.

“So you put your headphones on, you do your job and be with your team and then you come off.

“In that early period of ‘24, of course, there was a huge amount of noise, but you find out who your friends are and you find out a lot about yourself as well.

“So it was it was obviously very, very difficult. I think it makes you stronger, it gives you perspective and I wasn’t prepared to be defined by this.

“I was tremendously fortunate within the team. I had amazing, amazing support.

“And of course what you have to remember, we were winning everything.

“And of course your rivals sniff a weakness and they’ll just needle and needle and needle through the media, through whatever, to put pressure because they want the system ultimately to break down, because they know that will impact results.

“And so the pressure that was coming again from certain sectors within the paddock wasn’t pleasant either.

Asked if he ever had a suspicion about the timing of the allegations made against him, Horner added: “I’m a little bit confined on what I can say, but the timing of it all was not coincidental.”