Leaked ‘flirty’ messages put Formula One boss Christian Horner back in a corner

An investigation had cleared Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member and his wife, Geri Halliwell, was flying out to join him in Bahrain. Then the flirty WhatsApp messages landed.

Gerri Halliwell and Christian Horner prior to the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain. Picture: Getty Images.

For 24 hours, the Formula One boss who married a Spice Girl appeared to have steered clear of controversy.

An investigation had cleared Christian Horner of inappropriate and coercive behaviour towards a female member of staff, and his wife, Geri Halliwell, was flying out to join the head of Red Bull Racing in Bahrain, where the opening race of the F1 season was held on Saturday.

Then an email began landing in the inboxes of leading F1 figures and international journalists. It contained dozens of flirty WhatsApp messages allegedly sent between Horner, 50, and the member of staff.

On Friday night Horner was reported to be fighting to save his marriage and a job that carries an £8 million-a-year salary.

Halliwell, 51, was said to have been on a private jet en route to Bahrain when the flirty exchanges were revealed and reportedly went “into meltdown” after she touched down.

She faced the public humiliation of the 79 screenshots being circulated within the racing world and on social media, but still joined her husband in a public show of solidarity on the starting grid at the Grand Prix.

Red Bull Racing, the dominant force in the sport, began an investigation into the woman’s complaint early last month. Halliwell was said to have been left in “floods of tears” and reportedly demanded her husband, with whom she has a seven-year-old son, “make it go away”.

Geri Horner talks with David Coulthard as Christian Horner (L) looks on in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit. Picture: Getty Images.

By the middle of the month, Horner was telling the media he was confident he would be exonerated by the barrister appointed to oversee the investigation, and that he had the full support of his wife.

When Horner was cleared on Wednesday, he celebrated with a public show of strength, conducting meetings and phone calls in the outdoor area of Red Bull’s hospitality space, where media and other teams’ staff can freely access.

“I’m just pleased that the process is over,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports. “I’m here very much now to focus on the season ahead and trying to defend both of our titles”, adding that the unity in the team “has never been stronger”.

His accuser, who still works for Red Bull in a job “she loves”, has a right of appeal. A relative of the female colleague said: “My reaction to all this is that it is disgusting.

“We speak every day and she’s very unhappy of course. In her way of thinking it’s all very one-sided and she’s been crucified,” they told Mail Online on Friday. “It’s obviously not going to rest now because of these leaks.”

Geri Halliwell appears to be standing by her husband Christian Horner – for now. Picture: AFP.

The leaked email, sent with the title “Christian Horner investigation evidence”, told its recipients: “Following Red Bull’s recent investigation and statements you will be interested to see the materials attached.” The Times is not disclosing the details of the leak.

Red Bull, which is trying to authenticate the images, said it considered the email “a private matter between Mr Horner and another”, but insiders believe the storm around the team leader means his position is still in doubt, and insiders remained concerned another tranche of messages could emerge and further spook sponsors.

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner thought he’d dodged a bullet. He hadn’t. Picture: AFP.

In a statement, Horner said: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation but to reiterate I have always denied the allegations, I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully co-operated with it every step of the way.

“It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded dismissing the complaint made. I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”

Horner, a star of Netflix’s hit series Drive to Survive, is also under pressure from other figures in F1, who believe the publicity is damaging the sport.

Zak Brown, managing director of McLaren, a rival team, called for “full transparency”, adding: “There continues to be a lot of rumours and speculation, questions. I think all of us in Formula One are ambassadors for the sport on and off the track, like you see in other sports.

Red Bull and its two drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez dominate the sport, which has benefited from the success of Drive to Survive. It brought millions of new fans to F1, and spawned imitators in almost every other sport, including tennis, golf, rugby, cycling and athletics.

Despite the trackside drama, Verstappen, the defending champion, came top in qualifying to take pole position on the grid in Saturday’s race.