As silence remains on Red Bull's progress in the weeks-long investigation into allegations made against Horner by an employee, Ford has upped the ante in urging the energy drink company to take things further.
according to Associated Press reportFord CEO Jim Farley wrote to Red Bull explaining that the brand is not happy with the lack of progress on an issue that it believes should be taken seriously.
In the letter, seen by The Associated Press, Farley wrote that Ford “feels increasingly frustrated with the lack of resolution or clear indication from you as to when you expect a fair and just resolution of this matter.”
“We are also frustrated by the lack of full transparency surrounding this matter with us, your corporate partners, and look forward to receiving a full report on all findings.”
Farley called on Red Bull to pay “immediate and serious attention” to the matter.
Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner speaks with Ford CEO Jim Farley
Photography: Red Bull Content Pool
Ford has been cooperating with Red Bull's new Powertrains division since the start of the 2026 season, but has already begun marketing activations.
Farley said that Ford, as a family-owned company, was unhappy with how things felt and expressed dissatisfaction that previous requests for more transparency on the issue were ignored.
He added in the letter: “As we noted previously, without a satisfactory response, Ford’s values are non-negotiable.
“It is essential that our racing partners participate and show a real commitment to these same values. My team and I are available at any time to discuss this issue. We remain determined and hope to find a solution that we can all get behind.”
Ford is not the only one calling on Red Bull to add some urgency to its solution on this issue, especially with the opening race of the Formula 1 season taking place in Bahrain next weekend. There are concerns that the controversy could overshadow the first race of the campaign.
Formula One Management (FOM) recently issued a statement making it clear that it also did not want the matter to continue for much longer.
“We have noted that Red Bull has initiated an independent investigation into internal allegations at Red Bull Racing,” Formula 1 said in a statement.
He added: “We hope that the matter will be clarified as soon as possible, after a fair and comprehensive process, and we will not comment further at this time.”
While the investigation is ongoing, Horner has remained in his role as team principal, attending the launch of his new car in Milton Keynes recently as well as last week's Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.
He has strongly denied any wrongdoing in this matter.
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