Christian Horner was reportedly offered a chance to resign at the end of last season to save grace by Red Bull

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was reportedly offered a chance to resign at the end of the 2023 campaign. However, the Briton declined.

The lead-up to the 2024 F1 season has been fraught with turmoil for the reigning F1 Constructors' champions, Red Bull Racing. The Austrian outfit were hit with a major bump after their team principal, Horner, faced allegations of inappropriate behavior within the organization.

With the team launching an internal investigation to determine the future of the 50-year-old, new reports have emerged from Motorsport-Total.com, suggesting that Horner was presented with an opportunity to vacate his position at the end of last season "without losing face."

The plan entailed Horner resigning voluntarily, with health problems cited as the official reason for his departure. Despite the opportunity to gracefully exit the team, Horner, believing in his innocence, chose to continue in the role.

On February 9, Horner endured an extensive questioning session with the investigating lawyer, lasting over eight hours, during which he was confronted with a dossier based on the employee's allegations. While nothing conclusive has yet been made public, the Briton's future hangs in the balance.

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Female employee who accused Red Bull boss of inappropriate behavior reportedly wants to go to court

Dutch outlet De Telegraaf reported that the allegations against Christian Horner surfaced on February 2. Within 24 hours, Horner's legal team allegedly received an offer of £650,000 (approximately €760,000) to settle the matter amicably.

Specific details of the allegations also emerged, with reports indicating that Horner sent inappropriate messages to the employee "regularly and over a significant period of time."

Meanwhile, reports from De Telegraaf suggest that the female employee accusing Horner of misconduct intends to pursue legal action in England. Currently on sick leave, she has reportedly applied for legal proceedings. Despite these reports, Horner has continued to maintain his stance of innocence.

A major development in the saga transpired when Christian Horner made his first public appearance following the accusations. The Briton was present at Red Bull's livery launch earlier this week, ahead of the 2024 campaign. He was in attendance at the event alongside drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.