Ford Performance Global Managing Director Mark Rushbrook says it is too early for the company to comment on the ongoing investigation by Red Bull GmbH into allegations of coercive behavior by Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner made by a female employee.
Speaking at the Daytona International Speedway on Friday ahead of Sunday’s NASCAR Daytona 500, Rushbrook said:
As a family company, and a company that holds itself to very high standards of behavior and integrity, we do expect the same from our partners. It appears to us, and what we’ve been told, that Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously.
And of course, they’re worried about their brand, as well. And that’s why they’ve got an independent investigation and until we see what truth comes out of that, it’s too early for us to comment on it all.
The Ford Motor Company will enter into a technical partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing in 2026.
For his part, Christian Horner has categorically denied the accusations made against him and is fighting to clear his name, but admitted on Thursday at the launch of Red Bull’s 20th Formula One car that it has been a distraction for the team as they prepare for the 2024 Formula One season.
Speaking about the team’s new RB20, Christian Horner said:
This is a momentous year in the Team’s history. Over the past 20 years, Red Bull has succeeded in changing the landscape of Formula One and it has done it by being determined to do things differently by being committed to playing hard and racing even harder and by being utterly focused on competing for the biggest prizes in the sport. We’ve been lucky enough to do that on multiple occasions and seven Drivers’ titles, six Constructors’ Championship wins and 113 race victories to date demonstrate the success of Red Bull’s vision for the Team. The latest chapter of that story starts today with the RB20. It’s going to a thrilling and hugely competitive season but as we saw last year, this is a team operating at the peak of its powers and in Max and Checo we have two drivers who can deliver at every circuit, in any conditions, so I’m confident that, just as we have done for the past 20 years, we can compete for podiums, wins and hopefully more championships.
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- MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 15: A general view of a previous car during the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 car launch at Red Bull Racing Factory on February 15, 2024 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images for Red Bull Racing) // SI202402150755 // Usage for editorial use only //
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- MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 14: The RB20 is pictured behind a screen ahead of the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 car launch at Red Bull Racing Factory on February 14, 2024 in Milton Keynes, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images for Red Bull Racing) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202402150719 // Usage for editorial use only //
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- Detail shot of the RB20 seen during the Red Bull Racing Car Launch in 2024 // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202402140458 // Usage for editorial use only //
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- Detail shot of the RB20 seen during the Red Bull Racing Car Launch in 2024 // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202402140541 // Usage for editorial use only //
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- Detail shot of the RB20 seen during the Red Bull Racing Car Launch in 2024 // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202402140461 // Usage for editorial use only //
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- Detail shot of the RB20 seen during the Red Bull Racing Car Launch in 2024 // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202402140459 // Usage for editorial use only //