Christian Horner scandal takes shocking turn as woman at centre of sex texts case gets £3 million payoff to leave Red Bull (Image via Getty) Christian Horner, the former Red Bull Formula One boss, is again in the headlines. A woman who had accused him of misconduct has been paid about £3 million to leave the team and drop her claims, according to the Daily Mail and GPblog on October 6, 2025. The woman, whose identity is legally protected, has already joined another team and was seen at the Singapore Grand Prix in September. Horner, 51, was officially removed from his role on September 22, 2025, after Red Bull GmbH confirmed his departure.
Christian Horner and the £3 million settlement with former employee
Reports from GPblog say the unnamed employee agreed to take £3 million and end her case against Christian Horner. The settlement followed months of tension inside Red Bull after WhatsApp screenshots, said to involve Horner, were leaked in February 2024. He had been twice cleared by independent and internal investigations, but the story kept surfacing.The woman was present in the Formula One paddock during the Singapore Grand Prix in September 2025, this time with a new team. Horner, meanwhile, had already lost his Red Bull role by then.Red Bull’s parent company announced on July 9, 2025, after the British Grand Prix, that Horner was no longer team principal. He had led the Milton Keynes-based squad since 2005, winning eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ titles with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.Christian Horner has denied all wrongdoing since the start of the saga. His representatives have not given fresh comment on the settlement.
Andy Cowell, Ayao Komatsu and Steve Nielsen confirm Horner’s job talks
Christian Horner has not given up on a return to Formula One. According to The Guardian on October 3, 2025, Andy Cowell, Aston Martin’s team principal, said: “It looks as though Christian is ringing up pretty much every team owner at the moment,” but added there were no plans to hire him.Ayao Komatsu, Haas team principal, also told Daily Mail Sport that Horner approached them but talks “did not go any further.” At Alpine, Steve Nielsen, managing director, admitted Horner is a close friend of adviser Flavio Briatore, but stressed no official role was being discussed.Also Read: F1 Players Standings After Singapore Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Leads, Lando Norris And Max Verstappen In Close BattleChristian Horner left Red Bull with a reported £80 million severance package, confirmed by Reuters on September 22, 2025. For now, he is free from the paddock but is clearly searching for a comeback before the next F1 season in spring 2026.