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The female staff member who levelled misconduct allegations at Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has lodged a complaint with the FIA.
Last month, Horner was the subject of a high-profile investigation after a female staffer accused him of inappropriate and controlling behaviour in his role.
However, the team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH promptly dismissed the complaint, permitting Horner to remain at the helm.
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The following day, leaked text messages allegedly between Horner and the female staffer, his personal assistant, were distributed across the F1 paddock by a generic email account.
It was reported that the female staffer was suspended on full pay because of the internal investigation as her “honesty was called into question.”
Now, the female staffer has filed a complaint with the FIA’s Ethics Committee.
The complaint is said to be the third grievance made against Horner since the start of February after a whistleblower allegedly filed a further two against Horner which were thrown out.
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It is not yet known if the sport’s governing body will launch its own probe into Horner.
“We are unable to confirm the receipt of any specific complaint and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide further comment on the complaints that we may receive from any parties,” the FIA said in a statement.
It has been reported that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem held an hour-long private meeting with Horner at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
The female staff member is reportedly appealing the outcome of Red Bull’s investigation which backed Horner.
According to an unnamed source within F1, the female staffer is questioning the transparency of the independent investigation.
“She has not been allowed to see the whole of the report which cleared Horner and has no clarity as to why the inquiry reached its decision,” the source told The Sun.
“A timetable for her appeal process is being drawn up.”
Another source told MailOnline last week that she has also “appointed lawyers to fight her corner”.
A spokesperson for Horner claimed he had not seen the report in its entirety either.
Red Bull said it was unaware of the complaint lodged with the FIA and did not want to comment further.
According to a friend of the female staffer, the woman “feels very let down” by how Red Bull dealt with the situation.
“She is so disappointed with how it’s all gone, especially as she did everything by the book,” the unnamed friend told the MailOnline last week.
“The lack of support is noted and she’s just so disappointed with the treatment from her employer.
“Look at what happened. She complained there was a supposedly transparent, independent investigation, Horner was cleared, and she was then suspended.”
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