David Coulthard believes calls for “transparency” over Red Bull’s investigation into Christian Horner is merely “stoking the🅠 fires”.

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and McLaren’s Zak Brown were vꦅocal in the👍ir demand for greater clarity surrounding the Red Bull investigation.

But Coulthard - ex-Red Bull dr🍰iver and currently an ambassador for the brand - has hinted about a꧅n ulterior motive.

“There is a call from those who⛦ want to stoke the fire,” Coulthard told Channel 4 when asked about the requests for ‘transparency’.

“There will be those who ar♚e looking🦹 for the good of the fanbase, to ask for more transparency.

“But it’sܫ a private matter. We all have a right to priva🔜cy.

“If there was a case to answer, then we’d know about it. It has been dealt꧂ with by an independent group.

“Now, that will not satisfy those who want more. Those who want to dig deepe෴r.”

Coulthard added: "The sport has never been bigger. Wit🔥h something so big, it means a lot of money, a lot of politics, a lot of controversy…

"I see business as normal within the race team. Of course, it’s not busines⛦s as normal when it comes to Christian going into press conferences and being handed the scrutiny that he is under.

"But in t𒅌erms of how the team go about their operation? How Max and Checo go in the car? They cann𝓰ot be affected by that.

"You put your visor down and there is nothing else on your mind apart from driving q𝐆uickly."

Horner was cleared of wrongdoing by an independen🐭t lawyer after complaints against him from a Reꩲd Bull colleague.

His🌜 female accuser has no💖w been suspended by Red Bull.

The fallout has included criticism from Josജ Verstappen, which forced Max Verstappen to tread the line carefully between his dad and his boss, before Helmut Marko became embroiled in the situation.

But Coulthard has delivered a reminder that controversies in F1 are nothing new - and ♌transparency has🍸 been lacking before, too.

“If you look up and down the pitlane when Formula 1 was not as popular, there have been a number of si💮tuations where there hasn’t been transparency,” he said.

“Ferrari came to an agreement with the FIA regarding their fuel flow and their eng﷽ine. We are still none the wiser as to what that agreement was.

“But it did seem to coincide with them losing th🙈eir winning w🥂ays!”

Horner was bullish at last weekend’s F1 Saღudi Arabian Grand Prix in demanding that the media intrusion into his ma🎶rriage and family stops.

Coulthard has had his say: “This is unfortunate and unsavoury but it has been handled in a💛 way🀅 which has brought a conclusion.”

On-t🃏rack Red Bull’s progress has been faultless. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have꧙ finished first and second respectively in each of the first two grands prix of 2024.

But the🦋 off-track drama has created an unexpected furore🧸 over Verstappen’s future.

He is contracted until the end of 2028 but Horner admitted that he couldn’t be kept against 🔴his will.

Mercedes boss Wolff has chܫeekily mentioned bringing Verstappen across to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamꦫilton.

But any noiseꦰ over the future over car design genius Adrian Newey has been dimmed, after new reports that he is not expected to leave Red Bull.