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      Geri Halliwell planning to skip first F1 race with Christian Horner as she’s ‘flattened’ by ‘sext’ probe, pals claim

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      GERI Halliwell is set to skip the first F1 race of the season as she’s been left “flattened” by the “sext” probe into her husband Christian Horner, pals have claimed. The Red Bull Racing chief, 50, is the focus of an internal investigation by the team into his alleged behaviour towards a female colleague.
      Horner pictured with his wife – former Spice Girl Geri HalliwellCredit: PA
      Geri’s pals said she has allegedly been struggling to eat and sleep amid her husband’s ‘sext’ probe
      He strongly denies any wrongdoing.
      Geri is said to be taken aback by the probe but is vowing to stand by her husband.
      But now the ex-Spice Girl may skip next week’s Bahrain Grand Prix as she doesn’t want to face the ongoing scrutiny, a pal has claimed.
      A source said: “Geri is devastated and has been struggling to eat and sleep.
      Read more on Christian Horner
      “Her family and fellow Spice Girls are worried.
      “I hear Christian is trying to pep her up to stay positive, but she has gone to ground in the way she did after she left the Spice Girls.”
      “She’s not speaking to anyone,” they told the Daily Mail.
      Geri is supported by her Spanish mother, Ana Maria, and her sister, Natalie, but she has “just a few” other friends on whom she can count on.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Meanwhile, she is doing her best to be there for her adoring husband.
      The pal said: “I believe she is in on all the lawyers’ calls.”
      Christian Horner praises Red Bull’s ‘very inclusive team culture’ in first public appearance since ‘behaviour’ probe
      “Christian has been telling her that everything is fine – and will be fine – but she just wants it to go away.”
      The insider continued: “It’s a real problem as her focus is absolutely him.
      “She is completely loyal to him; that remains.”
      Christian Horner’s fate at Red Bull will reportedly be decided within 10 days – leaving the F1 boss potentially out of a job ahead of the season opener.
      His future at the all-conquering team of world champion Max Verstappen still hangs in the balance after shock allegations of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” were made by a female staffer.
      But in recent days, fresh claims allege that Horner also sent the colleague “sexually suggestive” texts.
      The bombshell claims that have rocked F1F1 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

      Red Bull arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday evening for pre-season testing, with Horner still in his £8-million-a-year role .
      So far, it has been “business as usual” in the pit lane – the team principal’s go-to phrase since news of the scandal broke.
      However, results of the independent inquiry will reportedly be handed over to the Red Bull board in the next few days.
      The probe threatens to overshadow the start of the new F1 season – but a final decision is expected before the opening Grand Prix race kicks off on March 2, the Mail reports.
      On Thursday, he addressed the new bombshell sexting probe and declared he wanted a conclusion as “soon as possible”.
      He refused to comment directly on the allegations made against him during the press conference, stating “I cannot comment on the process or the time scale.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I think everybody would like a conclusion as soon as possible but I am really not at liberty to talk about the process,” he added.
      The racing boss, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, was all smiles yesterday as he signed autographs, posed for selfies with fans and spoke to his drivers.
      The F1 boss was all smiles with Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell last weekendCredit: Alamy
      Horner looked strained at a press conference this week as he said he wished for a swift end to the sexting probeCredit: EPA
      A decision over his career at Red Bull is reportedly expected in 10 daysCredit: RexChristian Horner’s life and careerCHRISTIAN 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, pipping 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 More

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      Wilson Fittipaldi dead at 80: Former F1 star and team owner dies after Christmas dinner incident

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      WILSON FITTIPALDI has died at the age of 80.The former F1 star and team owner had been in hospital since Christmas.
      Wilson Fittipaldi has passed awayCredit: Getty
      He started 35 F1 races between 1972 and 1975Credit: Getty
      Fittipaldi – brother of former world champions Emerson – choked on a piece of meat during dinner and his family were unable to clear his airway.
      This led to him suffering a cardiac arrest and being rushed to hospital after being resuscitated.
      But he remained in poor heath and unfortunately passed away on Friday.
      Vice-president of motorsport for South America at the FIA, Fabiana Ecclestone, released a statement following Fittipaldi’s death.
      READ MORE ON F1
      It read: “It is with deep sorrow that we receive the news of the passing of Wilson Fittipaldi Jr. His departure leaves an irreparable void in the automobile scene and in the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing him.
      “His dedication and efforts were fundamental in consolidating the country as an important protagonist on the international racing scene.
      “In this moment of mourning, we express our most sincere condolences to the family, friends and admirers of Wilson Fittipaldi Jr.
      “May they find comfort in the memories of his brilliant career and in the legacy he left for the sport he loved so much. May he rest in peace.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      Fittipaldi set up the first and only Brazilian F1 team in 1974Credit: AFP
      Tributes have also flooded in for Fittipaldi on social media.
      One person posted: “What sad news 😔 RIP 🇧🇷 Wilson Fittipaldi 🕯️.”
      Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton unveil new 2024 Formula 1 car
      A second wrote: “Sad to hear about Wilson Fittipaldi passing away.”
      A third commented: “Sad, sad news.”
      In 2020, Fittipaldi had a fall at his house and was diagnosed with a cerebral haemorrhage.
      He was operated on a couple of days after and made a recovery.
      He continued to be active on social media and present at motorsports events.
      He was in the paddock at the Brazilian Grand Prix last year as he continued to follow the sport.
      Fittipaldi started 35 F1 races between 1972 and 1975, claiming three points during his short career in the sport.
      Alongside his brother Emerson, he set up the first and only Brazilian F1 team – Fittipaldi-Copersucar – in 1974.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The team raced in F1 from 1975 to 1982.
      He managed his son Christian, 53, between 1992 and 1994 as a F1 driver. More

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      I used to play as Michael Schumacher growing up, joining Ferrari is a boyhood dream, says Lewis Hamilton

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      LEWIS HAMILTON says moving to Ferrari is a boyhood dream after playing as Michael Schumacher on his computer as a kid.Hamilton, 39, activated a break-clause in his Mercedes deal and will quit at the end of this year to join the Italian team.
      The 2024 season will be Lewis Hamilton’s last with MercedesCredit: EPA
      Hamilton wanted the move to Ferrari to emulate Michael SchumacherCredit: Alamy
      The move stunned F1 as he had only agreed a contract extension with the Silver Arrows last summer.
      Now, as he prepares for his final season with Mercedes, he says he has always been driven by the lure of one day driving for F1’s most famous team, who have not won the title since 2007.
      He said: “I think for every driver, growing up, watching the history, watching Michael Schumacher in his prime, probably all of us sit in our garage and see the screen pop up, and you see the driver in the red cockpit.
      “You wonder what it might be like to be surrounded by the red.
      READ MORE ON F1
      “You go to the Italian Grand Prix, and you see the sea of red Ferrari fans, and you can only stand in awe of that.
      “It’s a team that’s not had huge success really since, mostly obviously from Michael’s days, but obviously since 2007, and I saw it as a huge challenge.
      “Without a doubt, even as a kid, I used to play on Grand Prix 2 as Michael in that car. So it definitely is a dream, and I’m really, really excited about it.”
      Hamilton will link up with his old GP2 boss Fred Vasseur at Ferrari and admits he had a big hand in convincing him to jump ship.
      Most read in Motorsport
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      He added: “I’ve got a great relationship with Fred. Obviously I raced with him. We had amazing success in F3, and also in GP2.
      “That’s really where the foundation of our relationship started. We always remained in touch.
      Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton unveil new 2024 Formula 1 car
      “I thought that he was going to be an amazing team manager at some stage and progress to F1, but at the time, he wasn’t interested in that.
      “It was really cool to see him step into the Alfa [Romeo] team. Then when he got the job at Ferrari, I was just so happy for him.
      “I think just the stars aligned, I think it really wouldn’t have happened without him.
      “So I’m really grateful and really excited about the work that he’s doing there.”
      The 2024 F1 season begins on March 2.

      🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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      F1 staff ordered to remove Pride flags from backpacks by security staff at Bahrain International Circuit

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      FORMULA ONE have taken action after team members were ordered to remove the Pride Flag from their backpacks by security staff.Airport-style checks are in operation at the Bahrain International Circuit where some F1 staff were prevented from taking their equipment into the track – or told it would be confiscated.
      Formula One team members were ordered to remove the Pride Flag from their backpacks in BahrainCredit: Getty
      A complaint was raised with the sport’s bosses and the track’s owners, who say they have now dealt with the “isolated incident”.
      F1 has been openly criticised for racing in the Middle East due to well-publicised problems with human rights.
      And while homosexuality is legal in Bahrain, other rights are restricted or not recognised.
      Bahrain will host the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix next Sunday, March 3.
      READ MORE IN F1
      And only last year UK MPs called on the sport to set up an independent inquiry into the links between grands prix and human rights violations.
      However, F1 chiefs say they are committed to helping change and are undertaking projects to improve economic, social, and cultural benefits in the countries they race.
      An F1 spokesperson said: “This was an isolated incident that happened against the policies of F1 and the event organiser in Bahrain.
      “It was immediately addressed and has been rectified.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “As a sport, we and our partners proactively celebrate diversity and inclusion.
      “And have supported everyone in our community to raise awareness of the values that we all share.”
      Mercedes unveil radical design for Lewis Hamilton’s new car during F1 testing in Bahrain
      Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Bahrain International Circuit added: “BIC, the host of the Bahrain Grand Prix, welcomes all to its venue and stands against all forms of discrimination.
      “This isolated incident is being investigated and appropriate action will be taken.” More

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      Mercedes unveil never-before-seen car feature for Lewis Hamilton as F1 fans ask ‘is this real?’

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      MERCEDES has blown away fans after unveiling a brand new steering wheel addition that has never been seen before in Formula One.Teams are prepping their new cars in testing sessions for the upcoming season which gets started in Bahrain on March 9.
      Lewis Hamilton will be racing with a brand new addition to his steering wheel this seasonCredit: Rex
      The Silver Arrows had added a new button with the Whatsapp logo on their steering wheelCredit: X @mercedesamgf1

      Mercedes are in an attempt to bounce back this season after back-to-back Red Bull domination in both the driver’s and constructors’ championships.
      Lewis Hamilton is entering his final year with Mercedes and hopes to make a recording-breaking eighth world championship victory.
      And the German garage are always finding new ways to gain an advantage over their opponents and to allow their sponsors to get more air time.
      Toto Wolff’s team signed a sponsorship deal with Whatsapp and have been very creative in promoting their recent partnership.
      READ MORE IN F1
      The Whatsapp iconic green logo will replace the former yellow communications button that allows drivers to speak to staff on the pit wall to get information throughout the race.
      To announce the new design Mercedes posted an image of the Whatsapp button on their X account.
      And fans are windblown by the marketing move from Mercedes.
      As one F1 follower said: “Admin is this real?”
      Most read in Motorsport
      While another added: “WhatsApp button looks so cool.”
      A third then put: “Ok, this is brilliant marketing.”
      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s £13m collection of supercars including £4m classic and £1.6m ride made entirely for him
      An F1 car’s steering wheel consists of 25 individual buttons and switches with each feature having to be easily accessible to drivers on the circuit.
      The Mercedes wheel will now have the green logo designed as a phone with a speech bubble around it and it is an excellent addition to the Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance.
      This could see other teams make similar sponsorship deals in the future.
      The F1 Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 2.
      And 2023 champion Max Verstappen is certainly looking to ruin the party by continuing his incredible hot streak. More

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      Christian Horner’s fate ‘will be decided within 10 days’ & Red Bull boss could be gone before F1 season over sexts probe

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      CHRISTIAN Horner’s fate at Red Bull will reportedly be decided within 10 days – leaving the F1 boss potentially out of a job ahead of the season opener.Horner, 50, is facing a formal investigation over controlling behaviour and sexting allegations made by a female staffer – which he hopes will end as “soon as possible”.
      Horner looked strained at a press conference yesterday as he said he wished for a swift end to the sexting probeCredit: EPA
      A decision over his career at Red Bull is reportedly expected in 10 daysCredit: Rex
      The F1 boss was all smiles with Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell last weekendCredit: Alamy
      Horner’s future at the all-conquering team of world champion Max Verstappen still hangs in the balance after shock allegations of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” were made by a female staffer.
      But in recent days, fresh claims allege that Horner also sent the colleague “sexually suggestive” texts.
      The embattled Red Bull chief strongly denies the allegations.
      Red Bull arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday evening for pre-season testing, with Horner still in his £8-million-a-year role .
      read more on christian horner
      So far, it has been ‘”business as usual” in the pit lane – the team principal’s go-to phrase since news of the scandal broke.
      However, results of the independent inquiry will reportedly be handed over to the Red Bull board in the next few days.
      The probe threatens to overshadow the start of the new F1 season – but a final decision is expected before the opening Grand Prix race kicks off on March 2, the Mail reports.
      Yesterday, he addressed the new bombshell sexting probe and declared he wanted a conclusion as “soon as possible”.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He refused to comment directly on the allegations made against him during the press conference, stating “I cannot comment on the process or the time scale.”
      Christian Horner praises Red Bull’s ‘very inclusive team culture’ in first public appearance since ‘behaviour’ probe
      “I think everybody would like a conclusion as soon as possible but I am really not at liberty to talk about the process,” he added.
      The racing boss, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, was all smiles yesterday as he signed autographs, posed for selfies with fans and spoke to his drivers.
      Other team principals have been calling for greater “transparency” in F1 in the wake of the scandal engulfing Red Bull.
      Horner’s nemesis in the pit lane, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described it as “an issue for all of Formula One”, while Mclaren chief Zak Brown called the allegations “extremely serious”.
      Brown hoped that they were being handled in a “very transparent way” and “swiftly” as “these are not the headlines that Formula One wants or needs.”
      The bombshell claims that have rocked F1F1 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

      Last week, he spoke publicly about the allegations for the first time as he made an appearance at the recent RB20 launch event.
      He said: “Inevitably there has been a distraction, but the team are very together.
      “Everybody’s focused on the season ahead, so it’s been very much business as ­normal and the support has been fantastic.
      “In situations like these, you see where the strengths are, and it’s been overwhelming the support that I’ve had from within the team.
      “There have been some allegations made, which I fully deny, so that the investigation is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead, and hopefully it will be concluded in the near future.”
      And in one interview, he praised his Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell and said: “I have a very supportive family and a very supportive wife.”
      Halliwell, 51, is understood to be standing firmly by her husband, who she married in 2015.
      She was allegedly reduced to tears when news of the scandal broke – but privately insisted he did nothing wrong.
      Last weekend, she was pictured smiling alongside by her husband at a horse racing event in Badbury Rings, Dorset.
      Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world ­constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      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 motor sport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
      Horner is gearing up for the start of the 2024 season which kicks off in Bahrain on March 2Credit: Reuters
      The scandal is threatening to overshadow the new championship as Horner’s future at Red Bull still hangs in the balanceCredit: Splash
      His racing foe, Toto Wolff, described the allegations as an ‘issue for all of F1’Credit: GettyChristian Horner’s life and careerCHRISTIAN 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, pipping 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 More

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      ‘Someone should resign’ fume fans as F1 testing is suspended AGAIN in fresh farce as drain cover comes unstuck

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      FORMULA ONE fans were fuming after testing was suspended again due to a loose drain cover.The new F1 season gets underway next week with the Bahrain Grand Prix.
      F1 pre-season testing was suspended due to another loose drain coveringCredit: Getty
      Track workers attempt to fix the loose drain cover that caused a red flag delayCredit: Getty
      But testing has already started but a number of issues have caused havoc to the proceedings.
      And Friday’s morning session on day three of pre-season testing was stopped after just 20 minutes.
      It was suspended due to a loose drain cover on the same part of the track that had a similar issue yesterday.
      Lewis Hamilton was driving in his W15 for the first time as he prepares for his final season with Mercedes when he ran over the loose cover on the kerb edge at turn 11 on Thursday.
      READ MORE ON F1
      But today it was Red Bulls’ Sergio Perez who triggered the loose drain cover as he drove over the kerb on the same turn.
      Yesterday’s session ended up being cancelled but the FIA are hopeful today’s session will be completed and when the session is resumed around 11:45am local time, it will run until 19:00.
      The scenes are similar to those in the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix back in November.
      The opening night’s practice for that was delayed for hours after Carlos Sainz ran over a loose manhole cover on the world-famous strip.
      Most read in Sport
      That led to fans seeing just eight minutes of action, and spectators are also present at today’s testing as those with tickets for the upcoming season-opening Bahrain GP permitted access to the track for the last two days of testing.
      However, after the latest farce, F1 fans were fuming that somebody should lose their job.
      I’m an F1 star but I hate driving – people try to race me at traffic lights
      One fuming fan wrote on X: “Someone should resign.”
      Another said: “Hoping Perez hasn’t damaged the floor of that Red Bull.
      Need to sort them drains out.”
      A fellow supporter raged: “Making the sport look like a joke 2 days in a row.”
      While another said: “This is getting ridiculous now!”
      Fans were fuming after another loose drain cover caused a red flagCredit: Getty

      🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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      Inside Red Bull’s Christian Horner & F1 rival Toto Wolff’s toxic feud… & how wives Geri & Susie battle to keep the peace

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      IT’S a rivalry as fierce as that between the drivers on the track – and as the new Formula One season approaches it’s set to crank up a gear yet again.But Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff’s feud dates back to long before Max Verstappen clinched that controversial world title back in 2021.
      Rivals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have been involved in ‘mud slinging’ matchesCredit: PA
      Toto and his wife, Susie Wolff, are one of F1’s top power couplesCredit: Getty
      Christian and Geri Horner have been rocked by allegations about his behaviour
      This week Wolff couldn’t resist a dig at his rival – who is under investigation over allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague, which he denies.
      The Austrian, 52, called for “transparency” amid the probe, adding that it has repercussions for F1 as a whole.
      He said: “I think for Red Bull it started as an independent investigation, if this is done in the right way with transparency and with the rigour, I think that’s something that we need to look at whatever the outcomes are.”
      Wolff and Horner are renowned for trading insults – often shown on the Netflix hit Drive to Survive, the new series of which drops today – and at times their wives Susie Wolff and Geri Horner have stepped in to help simmer tensions.
      READ MORE ON F1
      As both men try to focus on pre-season testing in Bahrain, we reveal how their feud has played out over the years – and looks to continue firing on all cylinders.
      Red Bull’s beef with Mercedes can be traced back to 2014, when rule changes saw them emerge as the most dominant team on the grid.
      Wolff was at the helm when the team – having made a triumphant return to F1 in 2010 – clinched its first world title with Lewis Hamilton.
      Mercedes won the Constructors’ title with a 296 point lead over Red Bull Racing.
      Most read in Motorsport
      At the time Horner was pushing for changes to the rules which would allow teams to keep developing their cars throughout the season, with no limits.
      Rules stated teams could only change 92 per cent of their designs.
      F1 fans in meltdown over ‘that Lewis Hamilton bit’ as trailer for Netflix series Drive to Survive released
      Horner’s pleas angered Wolff, who raged: “Nobody can really be in favour of an all-out engine war from 2016.
      “No serious company would allow that to happen and none of the current engine suppliers could allow that to happen because costs would escalate totally out of control.”
      A year later Horner was still banging the drum, claiming people would lose interest in F1 if the FIA made no changes to halt Mercedes, to which Wolff hit back: “Just get your f*****g head down, work hard and try to sort it out.”
      ‘Meddling’ with Max
      Team principal Horner celebrates with driver Max Verstappen in 2021
      Red Bull have knocked Toto and Lewis Hamilton off their perch in recent seasonsCredit: Getty
      Tensions have boiled as the Mercedes team has fallen awayCredit: Rex
      Things came to a head in 2016 when Wolff phoned Vertstappen’s dad Joss to discuss Max’s aggressive driving following his crash with Nico Rosberg.
      Horner was furious, stating: “It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do it.
      “He’s got no right to tell Max how he should drive and conduct himself.”
      Things really boiled over in 2021, with Wolff branding Horner a “windbag who just wants to be on camera” during a row over Red Bull’s so-called ‘bendy wing’.
      He added: “It’s about being punchy – it’s easy to be punchy when you’re on top of the timesheet, but he should be a little bit more modest I think.”
      It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do itChristian Horner on Toto Wolff
      It came after Horner warned Wolff to “keep his mouth shut” and “be careful what you wish for” after hinting Red Bull could decide to protest Mercedes’ flexi front wings, alleging they looked “a bit worse than ours”.
      During the close-run season, Wolff seemed rattled, at one point telling Hamilton over the team radio following a sprint race: “F**k them all.”
      Horner added fuel to the fire, adding: “We worked hard to get into this position. It’s the first time they [Mercedes] have been challenged. It’s interesting to see how people react when they are under pressure, when they are challenged.”
      When Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the British Grand Prix, both bosses rigorously defended their drivers.
      It led to a “heated exchange” between the two principals, according to Horner.
      Tensions then reached fever pitch when Verstappen snatched the world title from Hamilton on the final lap in Abu Dhabi thanks to a controversial safety car decision.
      The moment Verstappen snatches the world title from Lewis Hamilton in 2021
      Horner and Wolff rarely see eye to eyeCredit: Getty
      Horner told Tom Clarkson on the F1: Beyond the Grid podcast: “It really permeated at Silverstone where suddenly there was an awful lot of dialogue from Toto to [then race director] Michael [Masi].
      “Then he’s (Wolff) sending him an email, and then he’s coming up. And I thought: ‘Right, okay, I’m not having that, I’m going up.’
      “I felt it was incredibly one sided that a team principal should not be able to lobby and influence the race director and with hindsight, Toto and I had a fairly heated exchange in Race Control.
      “At that event, where Toto was obviously arguing his corner that his driver shouldn’t be penalised, and I’ve got a driver in hospital and the car taken out of the race and was obviously feeling pretty aggrieved by it.”

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      Horner claimed he was surprised by his main rival’s behaviour during the season, telling The Telegraph: “You could see that it boiled over in the garage next door on a few occasions.”
      He admitted he enjoys winding up Wolff, telling the Guardian in October 2021: “The more Toto gets wound up, the more fun it becomes.”
      Former Benetton driver Johnny Herbert called out the two bosses for their squabbling a month later, telling the Sunday Mirror: “I think many want to tell him ‘grow up’.
      “They look like two eight-year-olds arguing in the schoolyard. One points to the other and says, ‘Look what he’s doing’.”
      Cheating claims
      The following year Red Bull was accused of cheating after it was found guilty of breaching the budget cap in 2021.
      Wolff made it clear he didn’t feel the team’s £5.5m fine and 10 per cent reduction on aerodynamic development time was a harsh enough punishment.
      He quipped: “I think they [Red Bull] have done a very good job last year in having a car out there that was half a second or more quicker than anyone else.”
      Meanwhile Horner was seen on camera telling his drivers: “[It’s]fun and games with Mercedes over all this cost cap s***. I mean it’s unbelievable how much s*** Toto says.”
      Susie Wolff keeps her husband Toto smilingCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      The Horners are often seen in Netflix series Drive to Survive enjoying an idyllic country lifeCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri and Christian got hitched 10 years agoCredit: Splash News
      The Horners at home with the familyCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      F1’s Horner poses on the steps of the home with daughter Olivia from his previous relationshipCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      At times the team principals’ respective wives, Susie Wolf and Geri Halliwell, have stepped in, in an effort to keep the peace.
      The Mercedes principal admitted he “really regrets” how things got so heated between him and his rival, and recalled being accosted by Susie for his “regretful” behaviour during the 2021 season.
      He told Formula 1 magazine: “Susie pointed that out to me very clearly.
      “She said, ‘Why are you having these kinds of discussions? You’re trying to win, respect that. Even if someone goes in that direction, you don’t have to’.
      “That’s called female social intelligence. We sometimes have too much hormones.”
      In March 2022 it seemed like the pair had put their differences aside when Horner praised Wolff for opening up about his mental health battle.
      He told Sky Sports: “All credit to Toto for having the confidence to talk out about his own personal issues.”
      Cheeky bum slap
      Geri gives Toto a big hugCredit: Getty
      Susie and Lewis take a stroll in the pit laneCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      In November last year, a picture emerged of former Spice Girl Geri offering Wolff a comforting hug as her husband watched on.
      Everyone appeared to be grinning in the snap, suggesting the women had potentially managed to broker a peace deal.
      Damon Hill, a Sky F1 consultant, said on social media: “Its heartening to see a bit of a moment of mirth as Geri Horner gives Toto a consolation cuddle.
      “Easy to laugh when you’ve just wiped the floor with the opposition. Harder to do when you’ve been royally thrashed.”
      It was later revealed the jovial mood came about because Geri had actually slapped Wolff’s bottom.
      Horner later told Sky Sports: “It was an amusing moment because I think my wife had just smacked his bum so hard, I think it took him a bit by surprise.
      “You probably can’t even see my clenched fist, it’s out of shot there.
      “It’s been a long season and there has to be competition on track but there still has to be respect.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      With Red Bull shrouded in scandal and Mercedes losing its number one driver to Ferrari next season, it will be fascinating to see how 2024 plays out.
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 6 can be streamed on Netflix now.
      Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner have been bitter rivals since 2014Credit: Getty
      Former Spice Girl Geri holds her husband’s hand as Toto lingersCredit: Getty
      Geri is strongly standing by Horner’s side, sources sayCredit: Getty
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 6 airs today More