Motorsport

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Red Bull boss Christian Horner faces crunch meeting on Friday after ‘inappropriate behaviour’ accusations by colleague

      by

      CHRISTIAN Horner is set to face a crunch meeting over allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.The Red Bull Racing chief, 50, is being investigated over claims made by a female colleague.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner is under investigation over allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’Credit: Getty
      Max Verstappen and Horner pose after the Qatar Grand Prix in October last yearCredit: Getty
      The female staffer is understood to have complained about Horner – pictured with wife Geri – to the team’s parent company at Red Bull in AustriaCredit: PA
      Horner tied the knot with Geri, 51, in 2015 and have one child togetherCredit: Instagram / gerihalliwellhorner
      Horner, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and runs the team of world champion Max Verstappen, said: “I completely deny these claims.”
      The woman is understood to have complained to the team’s parent company at Red Bull in Austria about “inappropriate behaviour”.
      Horner is now the focus of a probe being run by an independent lawyer appointed to examine her allegations.
      The F1 chief will be quizzed on Friday by an investigator instructed by Red Bull in Austria.
      Read more on Horner
      It is understood the hearing will take place in the UK.
      F1 sources said the allegations against Horner could jeopardise his position at the helm of the Red Bull team.
      On Tuesday, Horner fulfilled his work schedule as planned.
      He’s expected to be in the office on Wednesday as Red Bull prepare their F1 car for the 2024 season – set to be launched on February 15.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He was preparing for Red Bull’s defence of their championship titles when news of the colleague’s accusation against him broke.
      The internal investigation has rocked the F1 operation ahead of the new season – which kicks off in Bahrain on March 2.
      Horner has won 13 titles with the Milton Keynes-based team – and has a notoriously-high worth ethic and expects similar from his staff.
      His drive has seen the team achieve considerable success since he joined in 2005.
      He set about signing key employees to achieve success – including design whizz Andrian Newey, who joined from McLaren the following year, and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley, from Benetton.
      60 Second News Briefing – Christian Horner investigated and Taylor Swift Grammy’s win
      Newey, F1’s greatest designer, has formed a strong partnership with Horner and there has been a long-standing rumour that the two’s contracts are linked, binding both with the team.
      Red Bull Racing are looking to defend their constructors and drivers’ championship titles in the 2024 season.
      But before the investigation was revealed, it is understood trouble was already brewing beneath the surface at Red Bull Racing.
      Rumours of an unrelated power struggle within the team’s leadership have swirled since the death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022.
      After the billionaire’s death, Red Bull drafted in a new board of directors to oversee the business.
      Former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was appointed chief executive.
      Despite Red Bull enjoying its most successful season in F1 history in 2023, there was speculation of a rift between Horner and Helmut Marko – Red Bull GmBH’s motorsport advisor.
      Rumours even went as far as to suggest Horner was determined to get rid of Marko, 80, from the team, reports the Telegraph.
      Formula 1 reporter Erik van Haren said the power struggle appears to be coming to a “climax now”.
      The next step will depend on the outcome of Friday’s meeting and the support of Red Bull’s Thai owner.
      Wife Geri, 51, was standing by him last night, telling pals she does not believe gossip that has been swirling for days.
      A source close to the Ginger Spice star said: “Geri has been in floods of tears all weekend while looking after her kids.
      “She is insisting Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      Red Bull Racing’s Austria-based parent company said: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
      “This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister.
      “The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
      A Red Bull Racing source said: “Nothing further is being added to ensure the integrity of the investigation is respected.”
      A look at Christian 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

      Horner and his colleague Dr Helmut MarkoCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen and Horner before the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November 2022Credit: Getty
      Horner with wife Geri Halliwell last FebruaryCredit: PA More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Christian Horner went from failed driver to youngest F1 boss…but whirlwind wedding to wife Geri Horner caused family row

      by

      RED Bull boss Christian Horner is well used to steering himself through personal crises.The F1 boss, 50, who is facing accusations of “controlling behaviour” from a female colleague, fell out with his parents after he left the mother of his first child and got engaged to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, 51.
      Red Bull F1 chief Christian Horner with wife Geri HalliwellCredit: Getty
      Spice Girl Geri and Christian on their wedding dayCredit: Splash News
      His mum and dad didn’t attend the couple’s star studded wedding in 2015, reportedly because they were upset about him leaving his partner of 14 years, Beverley Allen.
      Eventually, though, Christian managed to patch things up with both Beverley and his parents.
      The controversial Red Bull boss has also rowed with rival F1 bosses – and there is reportedly an ongoing feud with Mercedes’ racing chief Toto Wolff.
      It stems from accusations that Red Bull broke budget rules and benefitted from rule bending when their driver Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the F1 championship in 2021.
      Read More on F1
      Christian also had to overcome the failure of his own career as a racing driver, quitting at 25.
      He did so by borrowing money and putting his energy into establishing his own team.
      The hard-working team boss is said to have never missed a day at the track, even for the birth of his first child.
      Now there are rumours of a power struggle within Red Bull, a battle that could be Christian’s toughest yet.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Christian with his ex, Beverley AllenCredit: Desmond O’Neill Features Ltd
      The Austrian company has hired an independent barrister to investigate claims of “inappropriate behaviour” by the F1 chief.
      Multi-millionaire Christian has denied the allegations and is expected to stay on as boss while the probe is carried out.
      Geri Horner threw celeb-packed 50th birthday bash – but one Spice Girl did not attend
      He’s sure to do everything to hold onto his role, having once said: “I never struggle for motivation. Motivation is something that burns within. 
      “I think winning becomes addictive. It’s the fear of failure that drives all of us at Red Bull.
      “Formula One is such a competitive business that you can’t afford to miss a beat.” 
      Driven dreams
      Christian, from Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, was born into a world of cars, with his wealthy father Garry owning a business that supplied parts to motor manufacturers.
      One of three brothers, he was privately educated and got the racing bug after persuading his parents to buy him a go-kart at the age of 11.
      He said:  “I left school at 18, I didn’t go to university, my focus was very much on racing and forging a career as a driver.”
      Christian aged 20 at the start of his racing careerCredit: Getty
      Christian in British Formula 3 at Silverstone in 1995Credit: Getty
      Aged 19 he started competing for Manor Racing in the British Formula Renault Championship.
      He worked his way up the field to Formula F3000, considered to be the final step to reaching Formula 1.
      But when Juan Pablo Montoya, who progressed to F1, came past him on a very fast corner, Christian realised he didn’t have the right psychological mentality for the daredevil sport.
      He admitted: “The commitment he had, was one I knew my brain and foot just wouldn’t be able to do. I recognised that I wasn’t prepared to take that risk.”
      Team boss
      Aged 25 he quit racing and focused on running the Arden team he’d already set up using borrowed money. 
      For a brief time Arden were part-funded from Russian oil company Lukoil, whose oligarch founder is currently on the UK sanctions list.
      His success at Arden convinced Red Bull to make him the youngest ever F1 team chief in January 2005, with Christian aged just 31.
      I recognised that I wasn’t prepared to take that riskChristian Horner
      He proved to be a dynamic and committed boss.
      Christian promised to jump into a swimming pool in just a Superman cape when the team achieved its first F1 podium, and did exactly that after the car finished in the top three at Monaco in 2006.
      Four years later Red Bull won both its first F1 Constructors Championship and driver’s championship, with a young Sebastian Vettel taking the title.
      Family fall out
      Christian and Geri met thanks to a shared passion for F1Credit: Getty
      Geri’s daughter Bluebell (l), son Monty centre and Christian’s daughter Olivia (r)Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      In his home life things appeared to be settled, with Christian living in a Northamptonshire mansion with his former pub landlady partner Beverley Allen, who is six years his senior.
      He was stepdad to Beverley’s two children, Kieron, 35, and Liam, 31, and the couple were keen to have a child of their own.
      That dream came true when Beverley gave birth to Olivia in October 2013, although Christian couldn’t be there to see his daughter arrive because he was with Red Bull in Japan.
      He said at the time: “I think being a father will be more of a challenge than running a team of over 500 people, but I am looking forward to it.”
      But six months later Christian split from Beverley after 14 years together.
      I think being a father will be more of a challenge than running a team of over 500 people, but I am looking forward to itChristian Horner
      Shortly afterwards in March 2014, he was dating Geri, and by November the couple announced in The Times newspaper that they were engaged.
      Geri had long been an F1 fan and they met through a shared love for motorsport.
      The whirlwind engagement surprised many, because neither Geri, who has a daughter Bluebell, now 17, from a former relationship, nor Christian had previously walked down the aisle.
      It was not welcomed by Christian’s parents Garry and Sara, who refused to attend the wedding at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire in May 2015.
      Prior to the nuptials a family member said: “You can say that his parents are absolutely devastated. We won’t be going to the wedding.
      “There is a lot more to this story than people know about – to do with his ex-partner.”
      Healing process
      But Christian managed to heal the family rift by getting back on friendly terms with Beverley.
      In an interview last year he revealed: “I have a great relationship with Beverley, and Beverley gets on with Geri, and Geri is great with Olivia and Olivia has a lovely relationship with Monty.
      “It’s totally harmonious.”
      You can say that his parents are absolutely devastated. We won’t be going to the weddingFamily member
      Monty is Geri and Christian’s seven year-old son. The couple live in a mansion in Oxfordshire with a stable for 14 horses, and Geri is a devoted wife.
      She said in 2015: “I do cook for him, I do like to see that he’s happy. When I go to the Formula 1 races, I’m not about all the glamour.
      “I never thought I’d meet the man who I knew I would be with always. I can be myself with him, I can breathe out. I don’t ever want to get divorced.”
      Trouble ahead
      Christian jumped in a pool in just a Superman capeCredit: Twitter/Planet_F1
      Christian celebrating Red Bull’s championship success in 2012Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      That relaxed family life is in contrast to the stressful world of Formula 1.
      Christian, said to be worth £41million, is known to swear and has admitted to not being on friendly terms with rival Wolff.
      He said: “I’ve never been a believer that you can be the best mate with your competitor. I think it’s dishonest.”
      When Verstappen beat Hamilton to the 2021 F1 championship, he blurted out “Mercedes f****d up.”
      Everything seemed rosy for Christian, who was awarded a CBE in December and was sung to by pals Gary Barlow, Sir Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood at his 50th birthday.
      His Red Bull Team dominated last year’s F1 championship and are favourites to do the same this year.
      I’ve never been a believer that you can be the best mate with your competitor. I think it’s dishonestChristian Horner
      But the death of his mentor and Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in October 2022 is rumoured to have created a power struggle.
      After the billionaire’s death, Red Bull drafted in a new board of directors to oversee the business, and former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was appointed chief executive.
      Despite Red Bull enjoying its most successful season in F1 history in 2023, there was speculation of a rift between Horner and Helmut Marko – Red Bull GmBH’s motorsport advisor.
      Rumours went as far as to suggest Horner was determined to get rid of Marko, 80, from the team, reports the Telegraph.
      The former professional driver has overseen the Red Bull driver development programme since 2005 and was a driving force in bringing Verstappen to the team.
      But speculation was played down, with Horner only acknowledging there had been a “small difference of opinion” between himself and Marko.
      Red Bull is now investigating the allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” against Christian, with the internal inquiry reportedly leaving Geri in “floods of tears”.
      She was standing by her husband last night, telling pals she does not believe gossip that has been swirling for days.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Red Bull issued a statement saying: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
      “The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
      A look at Christian 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

      Christian with showbiz pals at his 50th birthdayCredit: Instagram
      Geri and Christian on holidayCredit: Instagram
      Christian and Geri have horse stables at their homeCredit: Instagram
      Christian with Geri and her Spice Girl pals, along with Rylan More

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Inside reeling Red Bull Racing with ‘power struggle between Christian Horner and bosses’ amid shock ‘behaviour’ probe

      by

      ALLEGATIONS of “inappropriate behaviour” against F1 boss Christian Horner come amid a power struggle at Red Bull Racing.Horner, 50, was locked in a meeting over preparations for Red Bull’s defence of their championship titles when news of a female colleague’s accusation against him broke.
      Horner with wife Geri Halliwell last FebruaryCredit: PA
      Max Verstappen and Horner before the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November 2022Credit: Getty
      Horner and his colleague Dr Helmut Marko at a Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      The woman is understood to have complained to the team’s parent company at Red Bull in Austria about “inappropriate behaviour”.
      Horner, 50, is now the focus of a probe being run by an independent lawyer appointed to examine her allegations.
      And he faces a hearing into the allegations on Friday as the F1 champs insist they are taking the claims “extremely seriously”.
      The F1 chief, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and runs the all-conquering team of world champion Max Verstappen, said: “I completely deny these claims.”
      READ MORE ON F1
      F1 sources said the allegations against Horner could jeopardise his position at the helm of the Red Bull team.
      Red Bull Austria issued a statement on the investigation while Horner was in a meeting in London on Monday.
      According to The Times, Red Bull Racing’s team office in Milton Keynes repeatedly denied the allegation of a complaint against Horner just a day earlier on Sunday.
      On Monday, Red Bull’s Global Headquarters in Austria put out a statement without notifying officials at the F1 team first.
      Most read in Motorsport
      But before the investigation was revealed, it is understood trouble was already brewing beneath the surface at Red Bull Racing.
      Rumours of an unrelated power struggle within the team’s leadership have swirled since the death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022.
      After the billionaire’s death, Red Bull drafted in a new board of directors to oversee the business.
      Former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was appointed chief executive.
      Despite Red Bull enjoying its most successful season in F1 history in 2023, there was speculation of a rift between Horner and Helmut Marko – Red Bull GmBH’s motorsport advisor.
      Rumours even went as far as to suggest Horner was determined to get rid of Marko, 80, from the team, reports the Telegraph.
      Christian Horner reveals what happened onboard £20million yacht after Max Verstappen won first F1 title
      The former professional driver has overseen the Red Bull driver development programme since 2005 and was a driving force in bringing Max Verstappen to the team.
      But speculation was played down, with Horner only acknowledging there had been a “small difference of opinion” between himself and Marko.
      He even suggested rumours may have been fanned by opponents, adding: “As we’ve tied up both championships, there’s not a lot to be talking about, so it’s very easy for others to wind the situation up.”
      But Marko hinted at an internal wrangle when he commented: “I have a contract until the end of 2024 and in the end it’s the shareholders’ decision, not Christian Horner’s, and in the end it’s me who decides.”
      Formula 1 reporter Erik van Haren said the power struggle appears to be coming to a “climax now”.
      He told De Telegraaf: “[Horner and Marko] become more and more like water and fire.
      “Although, of course, in the publicity they pretend that nothing is wrong.
      “Horner is, of course, the team principal and the CEO of Red Bull Racing. More than a thousand people work there. Super important for the operational side of the whole story.
      “However, it is of course known to all Formula 1 connoisseurs that Helmut Marko, the Austrian, pulls the big picture. So he decides who sits in those seats.
      “And yes, Horner might be the guy who would like to do that too, but Helmut is the guy who makes the big decisions.
      “So if you were to ask Max Verstappen, the most important man in that team, with a knife to your throat, if you had to choose between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, you would always choose Helmut.”
      Horner was appointed Team Principal of Red Bull’s F1 team in 2005, and has bagged 13 world titles along the way.
      Wife Geri, 51, was standing by him last night, telling pals she does not believe gossip that has been swirling for days.
      Red Bull Racing’s Austria-based parent company said yesterday: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
      “This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister.
      “The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible.
      “It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      A Red Bull Racing source said: “Nothing further is being added to ensure the integrity of the investigation is respected.”
      A look at Christian 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

      Christian Horner, pictured last August, has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleagueCredit: PA

      Horner and Marko with their two drivers 3-time champ Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezCredit: Getty More

    • 238 Shares149 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 introduce major rule change for 2024 season and fans absolutely love it… but don’t think Max Verstappen will

      by

      A HOST of new rules have been announced by Formula One to the delight of fans – but they do not think Max Verstappen will be happy.F1 management met at their London offices today with the likes of FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis and Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali in attendance.
      Fans fear Max Verstappen won’t like a new rule change in F1Credit: Splash
      And they have now announced a number of plans that they hope will make for much more thrilling race weekends.
      However, as fans exclaimed their delight at the announcements, some cheekily claimed that the defending world champ Verstappen would not be best pleased by them.
      In a bid to try and encourage more overtaking, the DRS (drag reduction system) would now be activated after just one lap of a start or restart.
      That is rather than the two laps that had previously been the case.
      READ MORE ON F1
      And it was that change that had some race supporters trolling the Red Bull star, whose car has usually been tearing away and clear of the rest by the time it was previously allowed.
      One responded with: “Hopefully Max won’t be able to pull away before DRS.”
      “This might reduce max pulling away by one lap,” said another one.
      As a third declared: “All this to help [Lewis] Hamilton win his 8th.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      The new season will also see a reshuffle in the Sprint Race weekend schedule.
      The Free Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying has shifted to Friday with both the Sprint and Grand Prix Qualifying on Saturday while the Grand Prix will culminate on Sunday still.
      Max Verstappen’s glam Wag Kelly Piquet risks wardrobe malfunction braless in open jacket as fans say ‘girl, you slay’
      Additionally, there will also be an increase in Power Unit allocations to four per driver for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. That is aimed at accommodating the increased demands of the revised format.

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

    • 238 Shares169 Views

      in Motorsport

      New Stake F1 team’s bold car divides fans with design compared to ‘cross between a ninja turtle and transformer’

      by

      MOTORSPORT fans are split like never before – after a new team’s F1 car was labelled a “cross between a ninja turtle and transformer”.Opinions on the lean, lime machine unveiled by the Stake F1 Team varied from “hideous” to “I love it”.
      Zhou Guanyu, and team-mate Valtteri Bottas might get into an incredible sulk over some views on the C44, but there was also praise for the new green lookCredit: AP
      A close-up view gives F1 lovers much to mull overCredit: AP
      Stake F1 Team technical director James Key explains details of the carCredit: PA
      And if points are given for flowery descriptions then the Sauber-backed team would zoom up the constructors’ table from sorry also-rans under their 2023  Alfa Romeo sponsorship to serious title contenders this year.
      Sauber say the C44 car is “a marked departure from its predecessor” with a “slew of changes”.
      One alteration could be particularly important – from push-rod to pull-rod suspension.
      The C44 also has new-look revised sidepods and engine cover as well as a different floor.
      READ MORE TOP STORIES
      As well as all that, Sauber are promising “important updates” early in the season, which starts in Bahrain on March 2.
      But one thing will stay the same for the third year – with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu retained as the team drivers.
      However, despite the stability behind the wheel, there was uncertainty from F1 fans over the C44’s startling appearance.
      One race-lover compared it to something presumably never seen before – a blend of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the ever-changing robotic movie heroes The Transformers.
      Most read in Motorsport
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      Another said: “This could very well be one of the most awful-looking F1 cars to ever exist.”
      A third joked: “Who was the lucky ten year old winner of the competition?”
      DJ reveals amazing track using sounds from electric motorsport
      And a fourth suggested that at least it might be quite smart in a surprising way as he wrote: “Looks like Asda’s new uniform lol.”
      But if Sauber went shopping for compliments they would find praise such as: “Looks like the way I do my liveries on the F1 game. I love it!”
      “Looks great, I really like it,” said another admirer.
      And amongst the fierce two-way traffic of opinion, one fan sat alone on the barriers as he wrote: “I don’t hate it…”

      🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁 
      Guanyu and Bottas will race together for the third year in a rowCredit: AP More

    • 225 Shares159 Views

      in Motorsport

      Geri Horner in ‘floods of tears’ over Red Bull boss hubby Christian as he faces allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’

      by

      SPICE Girl Geri Halliwell’s F1 boss hubby is being investigated over claims of “inappropriate behaviour” towards a female colleague.Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner, 50, is the focus of a probe being run by an independent lawyer appointed to examine her allegations.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner is under investigation over allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ – pictured with wife GeriCredit: Getty
      The Red Bull chief pictured with world champion Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
      The female staffer is understood to have complained about Horner to the team’s parent company at Red Bull in AustriaCredit: AFP
      News of the allegations broke yesterday as the team boss was locked in preparations for Red Bull’s defence of their championship titlesCredit: Getty
      Horner, who runs the all-conquering team of world champion Max Verstappen, said: “I completely deny these claims.”
      News of the allegations broke yesterday as the team boss was locked in preparations for Red Bull’s defence of their championship titles.
      Given Horner’s high-ranking position, the woman staffer is understood to have complained to the team’s parent company at Red Bull in Austria.
      Staff at the team’s UK base, in Milton Keynes, Bucks, claimed to have no knowledge of the allegations when approached yesterday.
      Read More on Sport
      Wife Geri, 51, was standing by him last night, telling pals she does not believe gossip that has been swirling for days.
      A source close to the Ginger Spice star said: “Geri has been in floods of tears all weekend while looking after her kids.
      “She is insisting Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      Red Bull Racing’s Austria-based parent company said yesterday: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “This process, which is already under way, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister.
      “The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible.
      “It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
      F1 sources said the allegations against Horner could jeopardise his position at the helm of the Red Bull team.
      He was said to be locked in an F1 Commission meeting all day yesterday and aides stressed he would not be making any further comment.
      A Red Bull Racing source said: “Nothing further is being added to ensure the integrity of the investigation is respected.
      The couple at the Royal Artillery Point to Point at Larkhill in Wiltshire on January 27Credit: Splash
      Horner and wife Geri pose with several famous musicians including Gary Barlow and Rod Stewart at his 50th birthday bash
      “Christian has issued a denial and we’re hoping for a swift and speedy resolution.”
      Former racing driver Horner married Geri at a church wedding in Woburn, Beds, in 2015 after a year-long engagement.
      He has a seven-year-old son with Geri and a daughter from a previous relationship.
      Geri also has a 17-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
      Since Leamington Spa-born Horner took over as team principal in 2005, Red Bull has won seven Formula 1 world drivers’ championships and six world constructors’ titles.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Last season, Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, with 26-year-old Verstappen the runaway winner of the drivers’ crown.
      F1 sources claimed the investigation had been launched amid a power struggle at the F1 team following the death of Red Bull co-founder and Horner ally Dietrich Mateschitz.
      Spice Girl Geri Horner posts loved-up message to husband Christian as Red Bull F1 boss turns 50A 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, 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

      Horner tied with knot with Geri in 2015 and they have one child together
      The couple pictured at the Larkhill Royal Artillery Point to Point on January 27Credit: Splash
      Geri threw a surprise 50th birthday bash for Christian in DecemberCredit: Instagram
      Horner lives a life of luxury in the country with his familyCredit: Instagram
      Horner poses on the grounds of his Oxfordshire farmhouse with son MontagueCredit: Instagram
      The Horners show off their horses and have their own stableCredit: Instagram
      Geri and her husband pose at the premiere of Ferrari in London on December 4Credit: AFP More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner investigated by F1 team over ‘serious allegations’ of ‘inappropriate behaviour’

      by

      RED Bull Racing has launched an investigation into team boss Christian Horner over allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.The Formula One racing team are looking into claims made against Horner, 50, by an employee of the company.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner is under investigation over allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’Credit: AFP
      Horner – who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – has denied the allegationsCredit: Getty
      The couple at the Royal Artillery at Larkhill in Wiltshire on January 27Credit: Splash
      The Red Bull chief pictured with world champion Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
      Horner and wife Geri pose with several famous musicians at his 50th birthday bash
      According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Horner – who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – has been accused of “inappropriate behaviour”.
      In response to the allegations, Horner said: “I completely deny these claims.”
      Red Bull, the team of world champion Max Verstappen, said it “takes these matters extremely seriously”.
      A spokesperson said: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.
      Read more on Formula One
      “This process, which is already underway, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister.
      “The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible.
      “It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
      Horner – who has an estimated salary of £8million at Red Bull – has been preparing for the 2024 season as Red Bull looks to defend their championship titles. 
      Most read in Motorsport
      He described the allegations as “nuts” in a message to Mail Online.
      His defenders reportedly claimed the accusations are part of a plot to oust him within the team in an internal power struggle.
      Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races as Verstappen claimed the drivers’ title.
      Horner has led Milton Keynes-based Red Bull since their arrival on the grid in 2005 – and has overseen a period of huge success for the team.
      Red Bull has won seven drivers’ championships and six constructors championships under the team boss.
      Spice Girl Geri Horner posts loved-up message to husband Christian as Red Bull F1 boss turns 50
      Horner married Geri, 51, in 2015 and they have one child together, Montague, seven.
      He is also stepdad to Geri’s daughter Bluebell Madonna, 17, and has another daughter, Olivia, 10, from a previous relationship with ex-partner Beverley Allen.
      In December, Ginger Spice threw a star-studded 50th birthday bash for the multi-millionaire Red Bull chief.
      Rock n’ Roll legends Ronnie Wood and Sir Rod Stewart were invited along with wives Sally Wood and Penny Lancaster.
      Take That frontman Gary Barlow and R&B singer Jade Jones were also pictured in snaps posing either side of Horner.
      There was also F1 royalty in attendance with Bernie Ecclestone joined by his wife Fabiana Flosi at the event.
      Away from the fast lane of Red Bull, Horner shares two stunning country homes with Geri in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire and their brood.
      The former property boasts its very own duck pond, which they use for boating.
      For Horner, living on a farm offers the ideal existence away from the stresses of motorsport.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Back in 2019, he told Luxury London the sprawling country abode was the “perfect home to relax in.”
      And it’s the property in Oxfordshire that gets the most love from Geri, 50, on Instagram, who regularly shares candid snaps of her family life.
      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, 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

      Horner tied with knot with wife Geri in 2015 and have one child together
      The couple pictured at the Larkhill Royal Artillary Point to Point on January 27Credit: Splash
      Geri Halliwell threw a surprise 50th birthday bash for Christian Horner in DecemberCredit: Instagram
      Horner lives a life of luxury in the country with his familyCredit: Instagram
      Horner poses on the grounds of their Oxfordshire farmhouse with son MontagueCredit: Instagram
      The Horners show off their horses and have their own stableCredit: Instagram More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Fleeced by a gigolo, F1 factory romps, secret love children & a cocaine sting… scandalous secrets of supercar dynasties

      by

      MOST of us can only dream of being part of a supercar dynasty like Lamborghini or Ferrari.But life inside these ultra-rich families is far from simple – as they are haunted by hidden pasts and sordid scandals.
      Flavia Borzone claims to be the lovechild of Tonino Lamborghini – the son of the luxury car firm’s founderCredit: instagram/@flavia_borzone
      A DNA sample was secretly taken from Tonino’s daughter, Elettra Lamborghini
      Just this week, Flavia Borzone, 35, was in court over her claim to be the secret lovechild of Tonino Lamborghini – the son of the luxury car firm’s founder.
      Tonino is suing Flavia after she publicly alleged he had an affair with her mother in the late 1980s.
      In the latest twist to the scandal, it has emerged that Flavia hired private detectives to collect a DNA sample from Tonino’s daughter, Elettra Lamborghini.
      The private detectives snatched a straw, dubbed ‘the straw of a thousand secrets’, that was used by Elettra to drink a coffee.
      Read More on Supercars
      Experts at the University of Ferrara tested the sample and found a DNA match between Elettra – who appeared in the reality show Geordie Shore – and Flavia.
      It is just the latest in a long line of scandals that have rocked the supercar dynasties.
      Bugatti founder’s double tragedy
      Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti suffered a brutal double tragedy in his life.
      His brother Rembrandt, a talented sculptor, took his own life in 1916 after the outbreak of war stopped him from selling his work, which now sells for millions.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Ettore Bugatti’s life was torn apart by the deaths of his son and brotherCredit: Getty
      Ettore’s brother Rembrandt took his own life during WW1Credit: Getty
      Ettore’s son Jean Bugatti died in a crash testing one of his carsCredit: Getty
      The artist was heartbroken when many of the animals he used to base his sculptures on were slaughtered after Germany besieged Antwerp.
      Bugatti suffered another ordeal when his eldest son, Jean, died testing one of his cars. The 30-year-old lost his life when he swerved to avoid a cyclist and crashed.
      BMW heiress fleeced by gigalo
      A gigalo fleeced BMW heiress Susanne Klatten out of £5.9million after meeting her in an Austrian spa.
      He went on to attempt to blackmail Ms Klatten, threatening to release naked photographs of them together if she did not give him more cash.
      Swiss gigalo Helg Sgarbi was jailed for six years in 2009 for his cruel crimes against Ms Klatten and other women.
      Ms Klatten initially handed Sgarbi £5.9million after he told her the Mafia was out for him. But he then took the scam a step further.
      BMW heiress Susanne Klatten was fleeced out of £5.9million by a gigaloCredit: AFP
      Helg Sgarbi was jailed for six years in 2009 for his wicked crimes against Ms Klatten and other womenCredit: Reuters
      Sgarbi threatened to release naked pictures of Ms Klatten which were taken in this Holiday InnCredit: Reuters
      She said: “He asked me to meet him at the Holiday Inn in Munich. When I went there he showed me two photographs, in one of them I was naked and so was he.
      “I could tell they were from a video and I was scared. There was a letter which said he would tell all to the press and my family. He wanted money and I had already given him seven million Euro.
      “He just wanted more money and at that point I decided to go to the police because I realised I was being blackmailed.”
      Ms Klatten’s father, Herbert Quandt, was also engulfed in scandal over his ties to the Nazi party.
      Quandt’s BMW collaborated with the Nazis and employed around 50,000 forced labourers in its arms factories.
      Roughly 80 slave labourers died per month at the plants – and many were executed.
      One of the slave labourers, Takis Mylopoulos, said: “We were treated very badly, we were whipped and had to drink water out of the lavatories.”
      Porsche boss pals with Hitler
      Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the luxury car firm, showing Adolf Hitler his Volkswagen Beetle designCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      Porsche was arrested for war crimes as an SS officerCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The man who created Porsche was a devoted Nazi and pal of Adolf Hitler.
      Ferdinand Porsche developed the V-1 flying bomb – which was nicknamed the doodlebug by Brits during the Blitz – and Nazi tanks.
      He also worked closely with Hitler, receiving a contract from the dictator to create a ‘Volkswagen’, meaning a car for the masses.
      The result of this alliance was the Volkswagen Beetle.
      Shamefully, prisoners of were were used as slave labour at the Volkswagen car plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, while Porsche was general manager.
      By 1945, Porsche had been arrested for war crimes as an SS officer and was languishing in a French prison of war camp.
      Porsche was released from custody in 1947 after his family posted bail of one million French francs.
      In 2022, the Austrian city of Linz announced that it planned to rename ‘Porscheweg’ street, which honoured the carmaker.
      A report commissioned by the city senate said: “Porsche played a central role in the NS [National Socialism] war economy and actively promoted the forced labour of prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates.”
      Ferrari lovechild
      Ferrari founder Enzo had a secret lovechild, Piero, with his mistress
      Enzo’s wife refused to let Piero (pictured) use his father’s surname while she was alive
      Enzo Ferrari, who started the supercar company, was known for his wild love life.
      The playboy, who was played by Adam Driver in a biopic last year, bedded factory workers and had a secret lovechild with his mistress Lina Lardi.
      Enzo’s wife Laura was so furious about the affair that she refused to let the lovechild, Peiro, have her husband’s surname while she was alive.
      Enzo continued to visit his widow’s grave every morning after she died in 1978.
      And Piero Ferrari, who is now the vice-chairman of the family firm, was by his father’s bedside when he died.
      Lotus founder’s missing millions
      Lotus boss Colin Chapman was embroiled in scandal over missing taxpayer cash
      A judge said Chapman would have been jailed for at least 10 years had he been in the dockCredit: Getty
      Lotus founder Colin Chapman died before he could be charged over a case that cost the taxpayer millions.
      The British Government invested more than £50million in a scheme to build a sports car in Belfast.
      However, £10million of the cash was not spent on the project, which was the brainchild of Chapman and an American car tycoon called John DeLorean.
      The DeLorean Motor Company filed for bankruptcy in October 1982 – just a few days before DeLorean was arrested in a cocaine trafficking case. Undercover federal agents had filmed him agreeing to bankroll a cocaine smuggling operation.
      He was later acquitted over the cocaine case as he argued police had entrapped him.
      However, the mystery over the missing taxpayer cash sparked an investigation which led to the imprisonment of Lotus Group accountant Fred Bushell.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      It emerged that Bushell had siphoned off £5million for himself.
      Chapman died aged 54 from a heart attack in 1982 but the judge in Bushell’s case said that if he had been in the dock he would have been jailed for at least 10 years. More