SPICE Girl Geri Halliwell was “relieved and elated” last night after her F1 boss husband was cleared of sending improper messages to a female employee.
The 51-year-old singer had stood solidly by Christian Horner, who will stay as team principal of Red Bull Racing.
The star had endured three weeks of torment following the claims.
Yesterday Horner, 50, was told he will stay with the team until the end of the season after the woman’s claims were thrown out.
Geri was said to have been delighted at the news.
A source said: “This has been weeks of hell for Christian and his family.
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“As he has said all along, these claims are ‘nuts’.
“An exhaustive investigation has been carried out and the allegations have proven to be nonsense.
“Geri has been rock solid behind Christian — and his whole family is relieved and elated that it’s over. Those feelings are there but no one close to Christian feels like celebrating much after what he’s been through.
“For the time being his focus is back fully on winning races.”
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Former racing driver Christian’s £8million-a-year job was secured after a three-week internal investigation dismissed the unidentified employee’s slur.
He had initially been under investigation over alleged inappropriate behaviour but the probe was later said to involve sending improper messages to the woman.
Geri was said to have been left “in floods of tears” when the scandal first broke earlier this month and was supported by pals including her fellow Spice Girls.
Christian, who married the pop star in 2015, had always vehemently denied the claims and vowed to fight to clear his name.
The F1 boss flew out to Bahrain ahead of the F1 season’s opening race where Red Bull’s world champ Max Verstappen will lead the team’s latest push for glory.
There are now no question marks over Christian’s character
A statement confirming Christian had been cleared was released by Red Bull Racing’s Austrian parent company within minutes of his private jet’s arrival.
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”.
Christian, who has a six-year-old son with Geri and two children from a previous marriage, had been quizzed by an independent barrister on February 9.
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A source told The Sun last night: “Christian’s career, his marriage and his reputation were attacked but there are now no question marks over his character.
“There is no shadow. But questions are being asked about how this happened, why it happened and who was responsible.”
What has been claimed?
F1 was rocked earlier this month by the sudden news that the sport’s longest-standing team principal had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
This was thought to be over a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one female, The Telegraph reported.
Red Bull’s Austrian parent company flew an independent lawyer to the UK to question the multi-millionaire race ace and his accuser.
The former racing driver, who runs world champion Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team, endured an eight-hour grilling over the claims last week.
Most recently however, more allegations have come out as the De Telegraaf reported that Horner allegedly sent sex messages to his employee “over an extended period of time”.
Messages were said to have been saved and presented as evidence to the external barrister running the inquiry after the woman made a complaint last December.
Mr Horner categorically denied the new allegations and is thought to be taking legal action against De Telegraaf.
An F1 source told The Sun last week that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
The investigation raises the question of who could take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of world champion Max Verstappen.
His wife Geri Halliwell is also said to be “terrified her life will unravel” amid Horner’s “inappropriate behaviour” probe.
The ex-Spice Girl, who was “in floods of tears” when the Red Bull boss was hit with the bombshell allegations, fears the drama will drag on for years, a source has claimed.
But Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by her husband.
She has told pals: “Christian has done nothing wrong.”
Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motorsport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
