Horner cleared, will remain as Red Bull F1 boss

SAKHIR, Bahrain :Christian Horner will remain the boss of Formula One champions Red Bull after the team's energy drink parent company said on Wednesday he had been cleared of alleged misconduct toward a female employee.

Red Bull issued a statement after an independent investigation, over which the team had no control, and ahead of Saturday's season-opening race in Bahrain.

"Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed," a spokesperson said.

"Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial."

Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, had denied the allegations against him and continued to lead the team during the investigation in what he said was business as normal.

The 50-year-old flew to Bahrain on Wednesday, and the outcome of the misconduct investigation lifted a cloud hanging over a team that won 21 of 22 races last year.

"The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned," the statement said.

"Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards," it concluded. The complainant has a right to appeal.

Horner's departure would have come as a seismic shock to the sport and to a team with ambitious plans to build their own engines in a new partnership with Ford from 2026.

The Briton is the sport’s longest-serving team boss having led Red Bull, whose current drivers are Dutch triple world champion Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio Perez, into Formula One in 2005.

His intense rivalry with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has also become a big feature of the popular