CHRISTIAN Horner has broken his silence after a string of shock texts to a female colleague were leaked.
A tranche of messages and photos showing details of private conversations between Horner and an unknown staffer – who appears to be a woman – have been released.
The WhatsApp messages appeared to suggest that the F1 boss pestered the woman for pictures and engaged in secret flirty chat behind his wife’s back.
While there doesn’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.
Following the leak Horner released a statement that read: “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 cooperated 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.”
This comes just 24 hours after the three-week internal investigation by Red Bull into alleged inappropriate behaviour was concluded and Horner was cleared.
The F1 boss was told he could keep his post at Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team yesterday.
Horner, who has a six-year-old son with wife Geri and two children from a previous marriage, has always denied any wrongdoing.
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Red Bull Racing’s Austrian parent company yesterday confirmed the woman’s claims had been thrown out – and a statement was released just minutes after Horner landed in the Gulf kingdom.
It said: “Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial.
“The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned.
“Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.”
The team’s parent company confirmed the complainant, who is understood to still be working at the team’s Milton Keynes HQ, “has a right of appeal”.
Horner told press today he was “pleased” that the investigation had come to an end.
And Geri was reportedly “relieved and elated” as her husband was cleared of any wrongdoing.
She has been described as her husband’s rock throughout the process and was said to have insisted behind closed doors that he did nothing wrong.
The text messages were leaked just hours after she was reportedly due to fly to Bahrain to join her husband.
The Red Bull Racing boss arrived smiling there this morning for the F1 season opener – just two days before the first race.
He looked relaxed this morning as he arrived at the F1 paddock with chief technical officer, Adrian Newey.
He beamed as the team got to work at the Bahrain International Circuit and hugged star Max Verstappen as they greeted each other.
Horner told Sky Sports today: “I’m just pleased that the process is over, I can’t comment about it.
“The focus is very much now on the Grand Prix and the season ahead and trying to defend both of our titles.
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“I’m pleased to be here in Bahrain and with the team, focussed on the season ahead.
“The team has never been stronger.”
A look at Christian Horner’s life and career
CHRISTIAN Horner is among the most well-known names in Formula One having helped build Red Bull into one of the biggest teams in the sport.
1973 – Born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
1991 – Wins a Formula Renault scholarship after impressing in karting races
1993-1997 – Competed in a host of competitions including British Formula Three, British Formula Two, and Formula 3000
1997 – Founded and developed the F3000 team Arden
1999 – Retired from driving and continued developing the Arden team
2005 – Appointed head of Red Bull team, becoming the youngest ever team principal at that time
2009 – Wins his first races as team principal with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber
2010 – Wins the Constructors’ Championship and Drivers’ Championship with Vettel – the first of four doubles in a row
2013 – Has a daughter with ex-wife Beverly Allen shortly before the couple split
2014 – Gets engaged to Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell
2015 – Marries Halliwell in Woburn, Bedfordshire
2017 – Horner and Halliwell welcome their son
2021 – Wins another Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen, beating Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
