SPICE Girl Geri Halliwell will join sext probe husband Christian Horner at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix tomorrow in another public show of support.
Geri, 51, will stand by her man again with his Red Bull team – a week after an awkward show of solidarity in Bahrain after hundreds of embarrassing messages were leaked.
The pop icon has been staying in Dubai as 50-year-old Horner battled a female aide’s discredited claims that he bombarded her with “sexually suggestive” messages.
Team principal Horner said he wanted to “draw a line” under the scandal yesterday while saluting his “phenomenally supportive” wife.
And Geri – who was left in tears when the scandal broke – will demonstrate her unwavering loyalty again tomorrow at her embattled husband’s side.
A source told Sun Online today: “It was tough for Geri in Bahrain but she was determined to show her marriage is still strong and she will do the same at the Saudi Grand Prix.
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“Christian has been full of praise for her support and she wants the world to know they are still very much a couple.
“She has lived her life in the public eye for years as a Spice Girl and can deal with the attention.”
Horner and Geri held hands and kissed during a stilted clinch in front of a battery of cameras at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix, where Red Bull world champ Max Verstappen triumphed.
But F1 season curtain raiser win was overshadowed by the sext scandal, which snowballed further on Thursday when The Sun revealed Horner’s accuser had been suspended.
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Insiders alleged yesterday that the aide had been sent home on full pay over “inconsistencies” in her evidence to a barrister-led probe into her boss’s conduct.
Horner was cleared of misconduct by the probe last week but the scandal exploded 24 hours later when a “sext bomb” of hundreds of texts between the pair were leaked.
Sponsors crucial to the all-conquering Red Bull team’s continuing success were asked if they had concerns about the continuing scandal, it was revealed yesterday.
All declined to comment except the team’s current engine sponsors Honda, who said: “We do not have full details on the matter at this point.
“We look forward to full clarity as soon as possible.”
It’s obviously been a very trying period. I’m married and have three children
Christian Horner
Horner yesterday admitted it had been a “trying” time for his family but heaped praise on Geri.
He said: “My wife has been phenomenally supportive throughout this as have my family.
“It’s obviously been a very trying period. I’m married and have three children.
“When that intrusion includes your children and the scrutiny that is placed on my marriage, I’m very fortunate that I have a beautiful family and a very supportive wife. And I’m the only one that has been named in this.
“It’s very challenging, because when there’s children involved, when there’s families, parents involved, it’s not pretty.
“It is time now to focus on why we are here, which is to go Formula One racing.”
Pals said Horner — who was cleared in a Red Bull probe before the leak — was finding it impossible to avoid his accuser at work.
Frustrations came to a head on Monday following a series of interventions by high-powered lawyers on behalf of the employee.
It was tough for Geri in Bahrain but she was determined to show her marriage is still strong
Source
HR bosses stepped in and suspended her on full pay — with some reports citing alleged “dishonesty” — pending the outcome of an internal inquiry.
Insiders said the woman had demanded to continue working in regular contact with her embattled boss among 1,600 employees at the all-conquering F1 team’s HQ in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
At a press conference ahead of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, he said: “Obviously there’s been an awful lot of coverage surrounding this.
“But one has to go back to the basis that a grievance was raised, it was investigated, and it was dismissed. Obviously it’s been of great interest but I think it is time now to draw a line under it.
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“I’m afraid I can’t comment on anything that is confidential between an employee and the company.
“I am not going to air all the discussions that are private between the parties. Discussions have been had and the team is focused on the challenges ahead of us.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
