This is the moment F1 boss Christian Horner places his hand on wife Geri Halliwell’s waist after they reunite in Bahrain as he faces fresh calls to resign amid a row over leaked text messages .
Just 24 hours after Horner was cleared to continue as head of Red Bull following an internal investigation into ‘inappropriate conduct’ by the F1 team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, the F1 boss found himself in hot water again.
Hundreds of WhatsApp messages allegedly written by Horner to a female colleague have been leaked.
The 50-year-old’s wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, reportedly ‘read him the riot act’ before putting on a show of unity with him in front of the cameras in Bahrain.
A video on TikTok shows the pair seemingly ‘together and in love’ as he places his hand on her waist.
However, sources claim she is still ‘furious’ as her husband claimed the messages were part of a ‘workplace altercation’, something the leaks appear to contradict.
This is the moment F1 boss Christian Horner puts his hand on his wife’s waist
Christian and Geri Horner after Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix
Christian and Geri kiss before the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit
The Red Bull boss had been celebrating after his team took first and second place in the opening race of the season, with reigning champion Max Verstappen an early winner.
However, questions continue to arise as the fallout from the alleged leaks continues.
Horner has always publicly denied claims of wrongdoing and told Sky Sports F1 he was determined to continue as team boss after a successful professional weekend.
He said: ‘We have great support, great partners and also great shareholders behind us.
“You can’t achieve these kinds of results by not being united.”
Before the race, Horner and his wife Geri, to whom he has been married since 2015, were spotted in a public display of unity.
Horner had slipped out the back of Red Bull’s hospitality suite through a gate to meet her as she arrived at the main entrance to the paddock.
They held hands as they walked through the paddock to Red Bull’s hospitality suite. During the short walk they were harassed by photographers and TV crews.
Mr Horner was cleared of wrongdoing in an internal investigation on Wednesday
Horner stands behind his wife as Red Bull celebrates first and second place
The couple were all smiles at lunch, where they were later joined by Red Bull’s head of communications and former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore and Red Bull’s majority shareholder, and Horner ally, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya.
Horner left for the race grid about 45 minutes before the 3pm start and gave Geri a kiss as he left.
Sources claim the former Spice Girls singer is ‘furious’ at her husband but has not ‘gone nuclear’.
One source told The Sun: ‘The leaked text message moved the goalposts – and Geri was furious about it.
‘When Christian first told her about the situation, he said he had had an argument with a woman who wanted a promotion and more responsibility at Red Bull.
“So he had sold it to Geri as a workplace dispute and she accepted it. So Geri is now furious that there seems to be more to it.”
Friends of Halliwell, who has a son with her husband, Montague George Hector Horner, previously told the publication that she had read him “the riot act” about the situation.
They said: ‘There are questions about her future with him and she has let him know in no uncertain terms. It’s uncertain whether their marriage will survive, but she gives it a good chance by showing him support, at least in public.
‘But deep down she must be hurt, humiliated and very angry. However, this shows that she hasn’t gone nuclear and fled to the first expensive divorce lawyer she can find.”
Sources claim the former Spice Girl singer is ‘furious’ with her husband
Red Bull’s Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen celebrates his victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix
Horner, who has always denied the claims, previously said: “I have the support of a great family, a great wife, a great team and everyone within that team.
‘And my focus is on racing, winning races and doing the best I can.
‘It was a day where we had to start the season in the best possible way. My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing.”
The WhatsApp messages were sent from an anonymous email account to 149 members of the F1 paddock – including the chairman of the sport’s governing body Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and the nine other grid team leaders, as well as members of the media. .
Horner continues to operate in his role as team principal and general manager, although it is understood there is significant disquiet among the team’s plethora of sponsors and partners.
He spoke about the latest allegations only once as he walked from Red Bull’s hospitality suite to the team’s garage on Friday.
“I’m not going to comment on anonymous speculation from unknown sources,” he said.
When asked what comes next, Horner replied: “We’re going to race.”