Christian Horner holds a ‘terrifying’ amount of power at Red Bull according to an ex-Formula One driver.

An independent internal investigation cleared the 50-year-old of ‘coercive behaviour’ towards a female employee, though screenshots of a text conversations allegedly between the pair were leaked a day after via an anonymous email.

The employee was last week suspended from her role at Red Bull as a direct result of the investigation, with Mail Sport revealing that she had been told her evidence was ‘dishonest’. 

Red Bull meanwhile have publicly backed the under-fire team principal, with the company’s head of sport Oliver Mintzlaff insisting they are ‘happy’ with their management during the weekend of the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Now ex-Formula One driver Christijan Albers, who raced in the sport from 2005 to 2007, has reportedly hit out at Horner to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf. 

Christian Horner wields a ‘terrifying’ amount of power at Red Bull according to an ex-F1 driver

Christijan Albers, who raced in F1 from 2005 to 2007, says Horner ‘still has this drive and envy to get that number one position and chop everyone’s head off’

Horner was cleared of coercive behaviour towards a female employee following an internal investigation

Albers said that it was ‘terrifying’ that Horner still holds so much power at Red Bull despite the recent allegations against him.

He added: ‘Because by the way it’s all being picked up and it’s just being waved away, then you make someone on the other side extra angry. I think a lot more will surface.

‘Then, still, [Horner has] this drive and envy to still be able to get that number one position and just chop everyone’s head off.’

Albers went on to downplay Horner’s record and credited adviser Helmut Marko for much of Red Bull’s success, adding: “If you start looking very realistically, which drivers did he put in the car and which drivers did Dr Marko put in the car?’

‘Looking at success. With all due respect, all success formulas come from Marko. So if you really start looking at who has a view on talent, there is absolutely no debate on that. That’s just Dr Marko, who has always made the right choices.’

Horner ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix said that it was time to ‘draw a line’ under the saga after he was cleared during the team’s internal investigation.

Red Bull have won three consecutive championships with Max Verstappen, and look likely to match the total of four straight that they accomplished with Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013.

Verstappen has won the opening two races of the season, both times from team-mate Sergio Perez.

Horner’s wife Geri Halliwell has continued to show support to the beleaguered team principal

Red Bull and Max Verstappen continue to dominate on the track despite the team’s off-track dramas

Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner arrive together at Grand Prix

Horner’s future is not the only one that has been uncertain given Red Bull’s off-track dramas.

Helmut Marko revealed he won’t leave Red Bull despite his rift with Horner, after Verstappen threatened to quit the team if his mentor and the team’s motorsport advisor left.

Horner’s wife Geri Halliwell has continued to show her support to Horner, attending both of the opening races alongside the beleaguered team principal and was pictured kissing him at the Bahrain Grand Prix.