Sebastian Vettel labels Formula One 'an old fashioned business in many ways' as he blasts sport's attitude to women in the wake of Christian Horner's 'sex texts' scandal... and calls for 'more transparency' around Red Bull saga

Sebastian Vettel has called for greater transparency within Formula One amid the Christian Horner 'sex texts' scandal at his old team Red Bull.

The reigning world champions have been engulfed in scandal during the early weeks of the season, with team principal Horner accused of 'coercive behaviour' towards a female colleague.

He was cleared by an internal Red Bull investigation in February before several messages allegedly between Horner and his accuser were leaked to leading F1 figures and journalists via anonymous e-mail.

The cache contained 79 documents, including hundreds of messages, many of them of a sexual nature. Horner, the husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, has denied all the allegations.

The complainant, who was suspended by Red Bull, has been left feeling 'very upset, angry, scared, intimidated and lonely' amid the ongoing saga, according to a 'friend'.

Vettel, 36, who won four consecutive championships with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, said the Horner scandal was unfairly overshadowing the work of the team.

'Obviously there's been a lot of talk since the beginning of the year,' he told Sky News.

'I think with these things, it's always difficult to know everything and it would be nice if there was simply more transparency so that you really could have more of an opinion.

'I think it's always difficult if you read one thing, then another thing and then the opposite. I think now things are going round in circles.

'The shame is that obviously Max [Verstappen] is doing a great job. The team - [including] a lot of individuals I remember from my time there, are doing a great job in the background and that's sort of forgotten when the subject hovers around something else.'

Asked about the treatment of women in Formula One, Vettel, who retired from the sport in 2022, said: 'F1 is changing, but it's an old fashioned business in many ways.

'So first of all, there weren't many [women working in F1 during his time] but, you know, the numbers were going up.

'So when I started and when I left, there were a lot more women in the paddock and a lot more women not just following the sport, but also working in the sport.

'I think that's a positive change but really, like everywhere else, there's still room for improvement.'

Vettel admitted he hasn't totally ruled out a Formula One comeback, saying: 'Obviously it does cross my mind. I do think about it but it's not the main thought.

'I have three kids at home, it's busy every day. So there's a lot of other thoughts that I have.'

Pressed on whether he had spoken to Mercedes principal Toto Wolff over replacing Lewis Hamilton when he goes to Ferrari, Vettel replied: 'I'm speaking to Toto. I don't know if it qualifies as Mercedes, but about other things, ideas that I have, events I'm planning going forward.

'I did speak to a lot of other team principals as well - and it's not only about racing.'