Digital Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares109 Views

      in Motorsport

      Inside Christian and Geri Horner’s £50m fortune – including prize-winning side-hustle & jaw-dropping Spice Girls payday

      by

      THE future of Christian Horner’s Formula One career continues to hang in the balance amid bombshell allegations about his workplace conduct.The Red Bull Racing chief, 50, is awaiting the verdict of bosses after being accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague and sending “sexually suggestive” texts. 
      Christian and Geri Horner are worth tens of millionsCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Horner’s future with Red Bull Racing were reportedly be decided in 10 daysCredit: PA
      Racing boss Christian earned a staggering £8m in 2022Credit: Getty
      Christian, who has categorically denied all claims, was put through an eight-hour grilling as part of an independent investigation and his fate will reportedly be decided within 10 days.
      It risks ending his 19-year career with Red Bull Racing, where he’s paid in excess of £8million a year, and putting a sizeable dent in the fortune earned by him and his ex-Spice Girl wife Geri. 
      The couple have netted tens of millions of pounds over the years, with a fortune of at least £50million, which has afforded them an enviable and comfortable country lifestyle.
      From £2.4million in rental properties to a horseracing firm and royalties, we look into Geri and Christian Horner’s finances. 
      READ MORE ON CHRISTIAN HORNER
      £8M Red Bull salary
      Red Bull boss Christian is believed to be the highest-paid team principal in F1 and began working for them in 2005 . 
      Company accounts reports, which span between 2011 and 2022, show the F1 boss has been paid a staggering £40.2million over that 11-year period. 
      His 2022 pay from Red Bull was listed at £8,044,000, which was almost £3million higher than the £5,085,000 salary he bagged a year earlier.
      It’s an impressive hike from his £1,343,000 salary back in 2011.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Popstar fortune
      Geri amassed a staggering fortune from her time as both a solo artist and a member of the Spice Girls, who remain the best-selling female group in history.
      Red Bull debuts design with Mercedes-style element reportedly dubbed ‘illegal’ by Christian Horner
      Her popstar earnings were paid in Wonderful Productions Limited, which was set up in 1997 – one year before the singer left the band. 
      During the company’s first three years of trading, it reported a £13.1million turnover and that she paid herself £8.9million. 
      No pay disclosures were reported by her in accounts between 2001 and 2018. Figures suggest the firm entered a non-trading phase between 2009 and 2012. 
      Geri bagged £2.2million in pay following the return of the Spice Girls – minus Victoria Beckham – in 2019, reportedly for just six gigs. 
      The Spice Girls remain the best-selling female group in music historyCredit: PA:Press Association
      A 2019 Spice Girls reunion, minus Victoria, saw Geri bag £2.2millionCredit: PA:Press Association
      The bombshell claims that have rocked F1F1 was rocked earlier this month by the sudden news that Christian Horner 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

      The Daily Mail reported that the firm was worth £3million the following year and she paid herself £1million from the company.
      The paper also claims Wonderful Productions made £152,000 profit in 2022 and Geri paid herself £762,240 that year. 
      Last year’s accounts showed losses of £77,994 but held reserves of nearly £1.4million. 
      Geri also has the firm Falcon Queen Limited, which was set up in May 2021 to provide “business support activities”. All shares are owned by Wonderful Productions.
      According to the Mail, Falcon Queen Limited made losses of £75,521 last year and plunged £276,000 into the red. 
      Geri is still believed to receive earnings for Spice Girls Limited – a joint venture between her, Victoria, Mel B, Mel C and Emma Bunton. 
      Media ventures
      Geri has released seven books for children and two autobiographiesCredit: Alamy
      Alongside music, the singer has had successful stints as an author.
      Geri released two autobiographies – If Only, which became a best-seller in 1999 and sold more than a million copies in the UK alone, and Just For The Record three years later.  
      In 2008, she released a six-part children’s series called Ugenia Lavender, which sold 250,000 copies in its first five months.
      Last year, Geri released her latest children’s book Rosie Frost And The Falcon Queen. 
      Her earnings have been topped up over the years by other media work including a stint as a judge on The X Factor in 2011 and 2012 and Australia’s Got Talent in 2013.
      She also made cameos in TV shows including Sex And The City, US show Extra and appeared in the films Spice World, Crank: High Voltage and Gran Turismo. 
      Geri was a judge on The X Factor for two years until 2012Credit: ITV
      Last year, she made an appearance in the film Gran TurismoCredit: Alamy
      Horseracing empire
      The Horners have a number of race horses, all of whom are named after Geri’s songs and covers including It’s Raining Men, Look At Mee, Lift Me Up and Mi Chico Latino.
      Among the most successful is Lift Me Up, an eight-year-old male who was born in 2016 and cost £28,000. 
      The horse, real name Hector, was lined up as a potential Cheltenham Festival hopeful but hasn’t run since last May. 
      Lift Me Up, who has raced at least twice, earned the couple £2,361.18 in prize money for winning a race in front of 70,000 punters, according to the British Horseracing Authority.
      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

      Last month, Geri revealed Hope – named Look At Mee after the singer’s 1999 solo hit – had her first race and finished fifth.
      The couple owns a horseracing company called OMBI, which was set up in 2021, and lists the nature of its business as “activities of racehorse owners”.
      The couple built a 14-horse stable at their Oxfordshire mansionCredit: Instagram/gerihalliwellhorner
      As well as stables, they also have farm animals including donkeysCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Its latest accounts, for the year ended 30 June 2022, showed they held £113,378 in “biological assets” – believed to refer to the horses – and £400,000 worth of goods.
      The company retained £68,852 in funds after bills were deducted. 
      Last year, work finished on a 14-horse stable, including two foaling stalls, at their Oxfordshire home and ex-jockey Maxine Filby was hired to run the yard.
      Christian told The Telegraph his passion for horses was “just a bit of fun” and “escapism away from the madness of F1”. 
      He said: “We don’t really know what we’re doing but it’s exciting. It’s something Geri and I both get a kick out of and something we enjoy as a family.” 
      Rental properties
      Away from the equine world, the couple also have a buy-to-let business named Estelle Ward, which was set up in 2021.
      It’s listed as the owner of a £2.1million flat in Highgate, North London, according to Land Registry. 
      The latest accounts for Estelle Ward lists property assets of £2.4million with a £1.6million ‘loan facility’, which the couple pays interest on at 1 per cent above the Bank of England base rate. 
      Geri inside the couple’s indoor pool, which is in a converted barn on their Oxfordshire estateCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Christian preparing a large feast on a plush barbeque unit at their Oxfordshire mansionCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      As of November 2022, the firm reported a £6,455 deficit – as a result of the loan and other bills. 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The couple also owns two stunning mansions, in Hertfordshire and Banbury, Oxfordshire, which boast swimming pools, a boating lake and a farm.
      The latter is a luxury estate that has an indoor pool inside a converted barn, stables for their horses as well as pens for their other farm animals and sprawling country grounds.  More

    • 288 Shares119 Views

      in Motorsport

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

      by

      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.”

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

    • 238 Shares189 Views

      in Motorsport

      Geri Horner’s inner circle as she fears ‘life unravelling’ over Christian’s Red Bull probe… from Spice Girls to F1 boss

      by

      SHE’S said to be “terrified her life will unravel” amid her husband Christian Horner’s “inappropriate behaviour” investigation.Thankfully, Geri Horner has a strong group of friends who she can turn to for support, including her ex-Spice Girl bandmate Victoria Beckham.
      Geri Horner is supporting her husband Christian Horner through his investigationCredit: AFP
      It’s likely Geri’s pals, like Victoria Beckham, will rally to support herCredit: Getty
      Red Bull boss Christian was grilled for eight hours last week over allegations made by a female colleague, and is currently awaiting the outcome – but insiders reckon it could take months.
      Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by 50-year-old Christian – who strongly denies all the claims – but it’s taking its toll on her.
      A close source said earlier this month: “Geri has been in floods of tears all weekend while looking after her kids. She is insisting Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      The allegations are said to centre on concerns about a strict work regime and do not include sexual impropriety.
      READ MORE SHOWBIZ FEATURES
      While Geri’s called Christian her “best friend” in the past, it’s likely she’ll be turning to her inner circle for support in these turbulent times.
      The Beckhams
      Geri has reportedly been leaning heavily on former bandmate Victoria, 49.
      The two have been close ever since their Spice Girls days, with a source telling OK!: “They always got on well and have been there for each other through the difficult times.
      “When Geri was having a bit of a stormy relationship with some of the other Spice Girls, Victoria supported her and helped her through.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “It’s the same now – Victoria wants to support Geri any way she can.”
      It helps that they live nearby – both have luxurious family homes in the Cotswolds.
      Christian Horner SPOTTED at top secret Red Bull test run as he awaits decision in ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe
      Geri was also a pillar of support to Victoria when her husband David was accused of having an affair back in 2003.
      She was also a shoulder to cry on when David was handed a red card during the 1998 World Cup – which the footballer has called “the most difficult time” in his career.
      The insider added: “Victoria and David have had some really low points together as a couple and Geri was there for her.
      “She’s never forgotten how good Geri was with… the horrible treatment of David after the World Cup.
      “Now she knows it’s her time to be there for Geri, and she wants to look after her and help her.”
      Melanie C
      Geri has called Melanie C her “wonderful Spice sister”Credit: PA:Press Association
      Victoria isn’t the only Spice Girl who Geri has stayed close to.
      She previously confessed she shares an unbreakable bond with Melanie C and Emma Bunton because of the experiences they shared together.
      Appearing on the Frosted Tips podcast, she said: “It’s a unique experience. I think it’s like having university friends or school friends, you have a specific time together and go on an adventure together that is unique.”
      Geri has previously gushed about her friendship with Sporty Spice, 50 – who attended her 50th birthday bash.
      Marking her pal’s 47th birthday, Geri posted a collection of photos of them together, calling her a “wonderful spice sister”.
      She added: “So proud of you. Wishing you so much joy, love & success.”
      Emma Bunton
      Emma Bunton was at Christian’s surprise 50th birthday dinnerCredit: Tim Stewart
      Geri has kept in constant contact with Emma, who attended her wedding to Christian.
      Emma and her husband Jade Jones were also at Christian’s surprise 50th birthday dinner in December, which saw the two women head to a grand piano for an impromptu singalong with none other than Gary Barlow and Rod Stewart.
      Last year Geri confessed Emma’s “kind heart” was the inspiration for a character in her book, Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen.
      Speaking to Emma on her Heart radio show, she said: “Charlie is my fave. One of my favourite characters, he’s gorgeous, but he’s got your kind heart, he’s like, one of the good guys in life… He’s got that essence of Emma.”
      Baroness Carole Bamford
      Baroness Carole Bamford is one of Geri’s Cotswold friendsCredit: Getty
      Living in the Cotswolds with a multi-millionaire husband, Geri inevitably mixes with members of high society – including Baroness Carole Bamford, who founded the Daylesford Organic empire.
      Carole lives on a 1,500-acre estate near Chipping Norton with her billionaire industrialist husband Anthony, Lord Bamford, whose family own construction giant JCB.
      When Geri was photographed for the cover of Perfect magazine by David Bailey last month, Carole was one of the first to congratulate her on the fancy shoot.
      Bernie and Fabiana Ecclestone 
      Bernie Ecclestone has allegedly advised Christian to step down from Red BullCredit: Getty
      Geri and Christian have former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to thank for their getting together, as he introduced them back in 2009.
      The couple have stayed close friends with him since, as well as his wife Fabiana Flosi, who he married in 2012.
      The four have regularly been pictured together on luxurious double dates around the world, in places like Croatia and the Swiss Alps.
      Billionaire Bernie, 93, has allegedly advised Christian to step down as Red Bull team principal.
      Sources told F1 Insider he warned his long-term friend that resigning would save him and his family from further damage caused by the fallout of the scandal.
      Penny Lancaster
      Penny Lancaster was at Christian’s dinner
      Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster have been friends with Geri and Christian for years, and attended both of their 50th birthday parties.
      Penny even went out of her way to support Geri at her book launch in October last year, while on crutches after suffering a knee injury.
      Despite having a “torn meniscus on her right knee,” Loose Women panellist Penny seemed upbeat, posing for a picture with pal Geri.
      Rylan Clark
      Geri and Rylan Clark became close pals after presenting This Morning togetherCredit: Instagram
      Rylan and Geri hit it off when they hosted This Morning together, and have been pals ever since.
      The Spice Girls superfan confessed he felt “like a competition winner” when he got to party with Geri, Mel C, Victoria and Emma at Geri’s 50th in 2022.
      It’s likely Rylan will be a tower of support to Geri at the moment, given she was there for him not long after his six-year marriage to Dan Neal ended in 2021.
      The pair were pictured cuddling up together, wearing matching cream outfits, after Geri invited him over to her plush country estate the same year.
      The two music lovers spent the day having an impromptu jamming session, with Geri on the drums and Rylan on the electric guitar, which certainly seemed to lift the BBC Radio 2 presenter’s spirits.
      Mary Fitzgerald  
      Geri Horner and Selling Sunset’s Mary FitzgeraldCredit: Instagram
      In 2021, just a week after Geri had been left devastated by the sudden death of her older brother, Mary Fitzgerald from Selling Sunset revealed they were pals, and had recently met up.
      Sharing a snap of the two together on Instagram, Los Angeles-based Mary wrote: “London is one of my favourite places in the world. 
      “It’s brought us so many memories and so many new friends!”
      Although they live thousands of miles apart, Mary is just a FaceTime away for Geri.
      Dame Judi Dench
      Geri has called Dame Judi Dench her inspirationCredit: Getty
      One surprising friendship Geri has is with Dame Judi Dench, who she met at the No Time To Die premiere in 2021.
      Spice Girl Geri has described the Philomena actress as her inspiration.
      She told The Times: “I met her at the James Bond premiere. She had such a beautiful energy. 
      “Recently I had dinner with her and we did some Shakespeare together. 
      “We were quoting The Merchant of Venice — ‘the quality of mercy is not strained’, and I was like, ‘oh my God, I’m doing Shakespeare with Dame Judi Dench, my life is, my cup is full!’ 
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “That’s pretty amazing.”
      Last year, Geri took to the stage with Judi at the Christmas with Judi Dench and Gyles Brandreth event at Royal Albert Hall, as part of a night dedicated to Judi’s career in the acting industry. More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Scandals that rocked F1 as Christian Horner’s Red Bull future hangs in balance… from pit romps to driver TOLD to crash

      by

      THE world of Formula One has been sent into a spin after shocking allegations were levied against Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner. The 50-year-old, who is married to ex-Spice Girl Geri Horner, has been accused of “inappropriate” and “incredibly controlling behaviour” by a female former employee.
      Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner’s career is said to be hanging in the balanceCredit: Getty
      Driver Max Verstappen with the Red Bull Racing boss Horner at the Abu Dhabi Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Details of the allegations are yet to surface but Horner, who’s been with Red Bull Racing since 2005, has flatly denied claims and vowed to “clear his name”.
      Earlier this week, the energy drinks firm launched an independent investigation and said they would “take these matters extremely seriously”.
      Horner’s career hung in the balance on Friday as he sat down for a D-Day grilling with a senior trial lawyer, hired by Red Bull GmbH, to defend himself in an unknown central London location.
      Sources said the investigation would centre on the employee’s concerns about Horner’s strict work regime and does not relate to any sexual impropriety.
      READ MORE ON CHRISTIAN HORNER
      Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen – and now loyalists claim insiders are trying to oust him.
      It’s the latest of a long line of scandals to afflict the motorsport world. From cheating claims to serial womanising, here, we report some of the most shocking. 
      Spygate
      Nigel Stepney leaked confidential Ferrari documentsCredit: AP:Associated Press
      In 2007, the F1 world was shaken in the wake of the now-infamous ‘Spygate’ saga.
      It resulted in McLaren receiving an unprecedented and eye-watering $100million fine and being thrown out of the 2007 constructors’ championship. 
      Most read in The Sun
      The scandal followed Ferrari chief mechanic Nigel Stepney stealing nearly 800 pages of confidential technical information from the company and giving them to his friend Mike Coughlan, who was the Chief Designer at McLaren.
      Stepney was exposed after asking his wife to copy the secret documents at a local photocopy shop, in Woking, and a worker informed Ferrari.
      It cost both men their jobs and led to Ferrari taking legal action against Coughlan, who reached an agreement with the racing giant. 
      Following the uproar, an investigation from McLaren found none of the documents “had been passed to any other members of the team or incorporated into our cars”.

      However, when new evidence was produced, McClaren was disqualified from the championship and served the record-breaking fine. 
      That year, the battle between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton led to Kimi Raikkonen sweeping in and claiming the 2007 title.
      Crashgate 
      Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed his car to help his teammateCredit: YouTube
      Piquet Jr initially denied any foul play before confessing a year laterCredit: EPA

      Just one year later, another sporting scandal emerged when Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to give his teammate an advantage.
      On lap 14 of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Piquet Jr drove into the circuit wall at turn 17 leading to the safety car being deployed.
      It allowed his fellow Renault driver Alonso, who made an early pitstop, to take the lead while other motors pitted under safety car conditions. 
      The move allowed Alonso, who started 15th on the grid, to win the race. 
      At the time, Piquet Jr claimed his crash was a “simple mistake”, However, after being dropped by Renault in 2009, he revealed bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds had instructed him to do it. 
      Briatore was handed a lifetime ban from holding any position within an F1 team and Symonds, who confessed, was banned for five years. It was later branded ‘Crashgate’.
      Sex drive
      Renowned womaniser James Hunt reportedly bedded more than 5,000 womanCredit: Getty
      The F1 racer died of a heart attack aged 45Credit: Getty – Contributor
      During his racing days, James Hunt was known as F1’s biggest playboy and was photographed with an army of glamorous women. 
      Among the slew of salacious claims is that the Surrey-born racer bedded 33 flight attendants in a fortnight and was greeted by “a fresh supply of females” every morning.
      His then-McLaren teammate Alastair Caldwell recalled: “James would bounce up to them in his shorts and bare feet, say, ‘Hello, I’m James Hunt,’ and take them straight upstairs for a party. This happened every day for a fortnight.”
      James would bounce up to them in his shorts and bare feet, say, ‘Hello, I’m James Hunt,’ and take them straight upstairs for a party. This happened every day for a fortnightEx-F1 racer Alastair Caldwell
      Ahead of the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, he was caught romping with a woman in the pit garage just minutes before the race began. 
      James – who had “Sex, Breakfast of Champions” embroidered on his overalls – finished third in the race but won the title that year.
      The racer, who died from a heart attack aged 45 in 1993, spent six years in F1 until 1979 and reportedly bedded 5,000 women.
      ‘Deliberate’ crashes
      Michael Schumacher was among F1’s most talented driversCredit: EPA
      Schumacher’s car went airbourne after trying to cut up rival Hill in 1994Credit: YouTube
      He crashed and Hill’s car was pitted and retired from the raceCredit: YouTube
      Michael Schumacher is known for being one of F1’s greatest ever drivers – but he was also tarred with claims of cheating. 
      Among them are ‘deliberate’ crashes including during the 1994 Australian Grand Prix, when rival Damon Hill, for Williams, was one point behind him. 
      During the race, Schumacher went off the track and hit a wall side-on.
      When Hill began to gain on him at the next corner and was set to pass him, it’s claimed the German racer cut him off.
      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

      Both vehicles collided, sending Schumacher airborne before hitting a wall. Hill tried to continue the race but was pitted and retired after irreparable damage to the vehicle’s front left suspension wishbone.
      Due to neither driver scoring, Schumacher took the title – much to the fury of fans. 
      Schumacher denied deliberate foul play and an investigation ruled it was a racing incident and took no further action. 
      Hill deliberately avoided becoming embroiled in the outcry but in later years accused Schumacher of deliberately driving into him.
      In a F1 Racing magazine interview, technical director Patrick Head said: “We at Williams were already 100 per cent certain that Michael was guilty of foul play.” 
      However, he said the team decided not to take action due to dealing with the death of Ayrton Senna that same year.
      Another incident during the final race of the 1997 European Grand Prix followed.
      Schumacher was found to have rammed William-Renault rival Jacques Villeneuve as he tried to overtake him on the inside. 
      Schumacher colliding with Villenueve’s car in 1997Credit: YouTube
      Schumacher ended up stalled in the gravel after ramming VilleneuveCredit: EPA
      However, it caused Schumacher to drift off into the gravel where his vehicle came to a halt and Villeneuve – who was just one point behind his opponent – managed to cross the finishing line in third place. 
      An FIA investigation found Schumacher was at fault for the crash and stripped him of his second-place finish in the championship.
      Schumacher was also accused of dirty tactics while trying to fend off Fernando Alonso during the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix qualifiers.
      The German racer had set the fastest time but during the closing stages stopped his car in the Rascasse corner, blocking part of the track. 
      Schumacher was found to have stopped at Rascasse corner to stop his rival getting a better timeCredit: YouTube
      It prevented Renault racer Alonso from attempting to improve his time. Schumacher insisted it was an innocent mistake and his vehicle had stalled. 
      Furious Renault boss Flavio Briatore referred to the so-called mistake as “f***ing disgusting!”
      He added: “How can a seven-times world champion make a simple mistake like that? Of course it wasn’t a mistake!”
      Three-time Monaco winner Sir Jackie Stewart said the move was “not an accident” and was “too obvious”. He noted there was “plenty of time to sort things out”.
      Later, stewards discovered Schumacher’s vehicle ‘lock-up’ happened while he was driving under 10mph. He was penalised by being sent to the back of the starting grid and Alonso promoted to pole position.
      Watergate
      Strict rules around weight have long been in place in F1, but in 1982, companies including Brabham, Williams and McLaren hatched a clever plan to get under the minimum allowance.
      Their cars were fitted with large water tanks to ‘hold water coolant’ – it would transpire that the liquid was being jettisoned early into races to make them lighter.
      Dumping all of the water allowed some vehicles to race as much as 50kg underweight, which gave them a clear advantage.
      Before the vehicles’ post-race inspection, they would be topped up with coolant again – returning them to the mandated weight. 
      At that year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, Brabham’s Nelson Piquet and Williams Keke Roseberg claimed first and second place.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      It was deemed to have contravened the ‘spirit’ of FIA regulations and both of the drivers were disqualified.
      It led to Prost being awarded the win and was later referred to as ‘Brakesgate’. More

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Motorsport

      Inside Geri and Christian Horner’s rollercoaster love story… from controversial engagement to £80k ring & baby struggles

      by

      THEIR charmed country life has led to nearly a decade of apparent marital bliss.But Geri Horner was said to be “too upset” to talk to “anyone” this week after her F1 boss husband Christian was hit by allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.
      Geri and Christian Horner married in 2015Credit: Fame Flynet
      Christian’s parents did not attend their wedding after a fallout over his exCredit: Instagram / gerihalliwellhorner
      First introduced to each other by Bernie Ecclestone 15 years ago, the couple are worth an incredible £440million and have piled their fortune into two country manors – including 14 stables for their horses.
      The former Spice Girl, who previously sweared off marriage, was steered down the aisle by the Red Bull Racing chief, who proposed following a whirlwind romance – despite having to Google her before their first date.
      Their engagement hit an early road bump as Christian’s “devastated” parents refused to attend their wedding in 2015 after he moved on swiftly from ex Beverley Allen, whom he was with for 14 years.
      Having put that crisis behind them, he will be hoping to weather another storm as he prepares for a ‘D-Day’ showdown with a lawyer tomorrow.
      Read more on the Spice Girls
      The 50-year-old is accused of “controlling behaviour” with a female work colleague, amid claims he could be gone by “next week” after “losing support” from the Red Bull team.
      Sources say the investigation is set to centre on the employee’s concerns about Horner’s strict work regime and does not relate to any sexual impropriety.
      The news has reportedly sent Geri, who is often seen cheering on her husband’s championship-winning team at Grand Prixs, into “full lockdown”.
      But a source told the Mail: “She will stand by him and be at his side just as much as she always has been. She never misses a race and that will not change.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      The couple and their blended family in 2017. Left to right: Bluebell, Montague and OliviaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Geri has been an ever-present fixture at Grand PrixsCredit: Getty
      Whirlwind romance
      Geri first met Christian through her F1 boss pal Bernie Ecclestone after he invited her to the Monaco Grand Prix in 2009.
      Christian told the Telegraph: “(Geri) was a guest of (former CEO of the Formula One Group) Bernie Ecclestone’s in Monaco one year and came down the pit lane.
      Geri Horner transforms into White Spice as she ditches colourful clothes in favour of ‘ladylike’ white outfits
      “I remember (McLaren boss) Ron Dennis was standing next to me and Eddie Jordan was there as well.
      “She gave Ron a kiss on the cheek, and she gave Eddie a kiss on the cheek. So I thought, ‘OK, I’m on for a kiss on the cheek here!’ And I went to give her one and she shoved her hand out at me.”
      At the time, Christian was with his former pub landlady partner Beverley Allen, and was stepdad to her two children, Kieron, 35, and Liam, 31.
      The couple had dreamed of having a child of their own and in October 2013, Beverley gave birth to a daughter, Olivia.
      Sadly, six months after the birth, the couple split and by March 2014, Christian had moved on with Geri.
      I didn’t marry Geri because she’s a Spice Girl. I married her because I fell in love with herChristian
      Remarkably, it later emerged that the racing fanatic had never even heard of one of the Spice Girls’ biggest hits before their first date, according to the Mirror.
      A source told the newspaper: “Before they went on their first date, Christian googled Geri – and found a video of her doing the song.
      “Geri found it hilarious that he had to research her beforehand and the song has become a running joke.”
      Christian later said: “I didn’t marry Geri because she’s a Spice Girl. I married her because I fell in love with her.”
      In October 2014, the new couple announced their engagement in The Times newspaper. Christian proposed with an elegant diamond engagement ring thought to be worth almost £80,000.
      Christian broke up with Beverley Allen shortly before moving on with Geri
      Geri and Christian first met at the Monaco Grand Prix after F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone (pictured) invited herCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Geri said her mother’s divorce had put her off getting married, but that everything had changed after she met Christian.
      She explained: “The thing is my mother, she got divorced so it kind of put me off a bit if I’m honest and I hadn’t met anyone that I felt it was right (with) really.
      “And when I met Christian, I automatically knew, I did, I actually said to my friend, ‘I think I’ve met the man I want to marry’.
      They tied the knot in a stunning ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Woburn, Bedfordshire, in May 2015, with celebrity guests including fellow Spice Girl Emma Bunton, Amanda Holden and Myleene Klass.
      Geri wore a dress by British designer Phillipa Lepley and belted out a solo performance of Wannabe in a cheeky nod to their first date at a reception on the grounds of Woburn Abbey after the wedding.
      Geri and Christian appeared to have the perfect life together from the outsideCredit: social media
      The couple regularly share pictures on social media showing their country pursuitsCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      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

      Geri later told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that her wedding day was the “happiest day of my life”.
      However, it wasn’t as happy an occasion for Christian’s parents, who failed to attend.
      After the engagement was announced, one of his devastated relatives told the Sunday Mirror: “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.”
      However, Christian and Geri, who has a daughter called Bluebell Madonna from a previous relationship, eventually managed to patch things up with his parents and Beverley.
      Christian told the Telegraph: “I have a great relationship with Beverley and Beverley gets on with Geri.
      “It’s totally harmonious.”
      I’d got to thinking I have a child, my husband has a daughter, and accepting this is our lot. Then Monty came naturallyGeri Horner
      Geri and Christian also went through the emotional rollercoaster of IVF treatment before she finally gave birth to their son, Monty, naturally in January 2017.
      She told Red magazine: “I’d tried an assisted route and it didn’t work. 
      “I feel for any woman that has that natural biological longing, it’s tough. 
      “I’d got to thinking I have a child, my husband has a daughter, and accepting this is our lot. Then Monty came naturally.”
      The Spice Girl later admitted that Monty had picked up some of her rebellious traits.
      That same year, she told Hello!: “He’s a pretty chilled baby for the most part, which he gets more from Christian, but then we’ll encounter a bit of protest and I think, ‘Ah, there’s the Halliwell!’.”
      Country life
      In the decade since their marriage, Geri and Christian appear to have blended seamlessly into each others’ lives.
      The former pop star is an ever-present fixture at F1 races, while Christian looks every bit the English gentleman in Instagram posts from their Cotswold bolthole.
      Christian looks ever the English gentleman as he sits atop his horse in a tweed jacketCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      Christian standing on the steps of his luxurious home with daughter OliviaCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      Geri can often be found caring for the animals on their two estates, which are home to horses, chickens, donkeys and goats.
      The couple’s main base is their lavish Grade-II listed mansion in Marston St Lawrence, near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
      The manor house boasts a sprawling garden, a boating lake and a tennis court.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Just last month reports emerged of plans to build a 40ft by 16ft swimming pool, a fountain, a topiary and sunbeds at their Oxfordshire property.
      The pair also own a home in Hertfordshire, where they spent lockdown, and where the Spice Girls reunited for the first time in six years in 2018.
      Geri and Christian meeting the kingCredit: Getty
      The couple have an incredible 14 stablesCredit: Geri Horner/Instagram More

    • 200 Shares169 Views

      in Motorsport

      Geri Horner facing ‘ultimate Catch-22’ over husband Christian after piling their £440m fortune into Downton dream

      by

      GERI Horner’s seemingly perfect life as a horsey country mum could come crashing down if her F1 boss husband Christian is found to have acted “inappropriately” towards a female colleague.And a public relations guru has warned the former Spice Girl to think carefully before adopting the approach of former bandmate Victoria Beckham by putting on a show of marital unity.
      Geri and Christian have built a country life – and 14 stables – togetherCredit: Geri Horner/Instagram
      Geri in her Union Jack-wearing Spice Girl daysCredit: Getty
      The once cheeky Geri, who grew up on a council estate in Watford, famously wore a revealing Union Jack dress at the Brit Awards and patted King Charles’s bum at a Royal Variety performance in 1997.
      But these days the 51-year-old has transformed her image, bedding down with the Cotswold set, wearing only white and reportedly hoping that the monarch will reward her with a CBE for her work promoting literacy.
      An honour might be under threat if the allegations against Red Bull Racing boss Christian, who has been accused of “controlling behaviour” with a female work colleague, prove to be founded.
      Sources say the investigation is set to centre on the employee’s concerns about Horner’s strict work regime and does not relate to any sexual impropriety.
      Read More Features
      The Spice Girl is said to be “too upset” to talk to “anyone” as her husband, 50, gears up for a D-Day grilling over the claims on Friday.
      But the Daily Mail reports that she will follow in the footsteps of bandmate Victoria, who publicly stood by husband David during allegations of an affair in 2004.
      A source told the paper: “She will stand by him and be at his side just as much as she always has been. She never misses a race and that will not change.”
      However, Geri, who now uses the surname Halliwell-Horner, should be cautious about following Posh Spice’s lead, says PR boss Jack Izzard, CEO of Rhizome Media.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He tells The Sun: “If they’re confident that the allegations are baseless and that the independent investigation will vindicate Mr Horner, they could put on a public show of marital unity like Geri’s fellow Spice Girl Victoria Beckham did when it emerged her husband David had been having an affair.
      “But this is risky. Allegations of inappropriate behaviour by a man in a position of power can sometimes have a toxic tinge far beyond that of an extra-marital affair.”
      Tricky position
      Geri and Christian married at Woburn Abbey in 2015Credit: Splash News
      The couple often attend glamorous red carpet eventsCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri has become a good friend of King CharlesCredit: AFP
      In an ultimate PR Catch-22, hiding from the crisis might not be a good idea, either.
      Geri, who married Christian in 2015 after a whirlwind romance, is devoted to her husband – so much so that the password for the Wi-Fi at their home was once reportedly “Wonderful Husband.”
      Christian Horner’s wife Spice Girl Geri bakes super Swiss roll cake in lavish country home
      They have one son together, seven-year-old Monty, and she has previously insisted they will never get divorced.
      By not supporting Christian, she could give the impression that all is not well in the Halliwell-Horner household.
      Jack cautions: “Equally, going into lockdown could be interpreted as a sign of a fracture in the couple’s relationship and fuel speculation that there’s no smoke without fire.”   
      Of course, that would be unfair on Geri, for whom the news of an investigation into Christian’s workplace behaviour is said to have come out of the blue.
      Christian vehemently denies any wrongdoing and will be defending himself at the internal hearing on Friday, which is said to be at Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes.
      Geri’s husband has been the head of Red Bull’s Formula One race team since it launched in 2005.
      He has brought remarkable success, including seven championship crowns for its drivers and six constructors titles.
      But earlier this week the Austrian firm revealed it was investigating allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” by Christian.
      It 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.”
      Going into lockdown could be interpreted as a sign of a fractureJack Izzard
      Up until now, the main complaint against Christian has been from his F1 rivals, which appeared to be sour grapes over his success.
      He is a workaholic who never misses a race and admits to being driven by a need to win.
      Jack comments: “There’s a brutal irony here. The reputation of a woman whose figure-hugging Union Jack dress once made her the avatar of both Girl Power and Cool Britannia now hangs in the balance, not because of something she has done, but because of the allegations swirling around her husband.”
      Downton dream
      Prince William shared a friendly embrace with Geri at a homeless charity eventCredit: Getty
      Christian and Geri hobnob with Prince Harry in 2014Credit: Getty
      Geri and Christian’s romance was in some ways to the manor born.
      Their second-ever meeting was at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, which is the setting for the beloved upstairs downstairs TV drama Downton Abbey.
      They met at a clay pigeon shoot and realised they had a passion for country pursuits.
      Since becoming Mrs Halliwell-Horner, Geri certainly seems to have moved closer to a circle more familiar to her privately-educated husband.
      Geri, whose mum was a cleaner, these days counts Baroness Bamford, who lives nearby on a 1500-acre estate in the Cotswolds, among her pals – along with top members of the Royal Family.
      In November 2022 the Queen Consort Camilla gave Geri a warm hug at a reception at Buckingham Palace in London.
      She was also embraced by Prince William when she appeared with him at an event for his homeless charity Homewards.
      And shortly after the King’s coronation last year, Geri gave Charles a peck on the cheek at a Prince’s Trust event.
      Everything is all white
      Geri’s animal farm includes a donkeyCredit: Instagram/TheRealGeriHalliwel
      Geri loves country life – including picking fresh raspberriesCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      The one constant at all these events has been the colour of Geri’s dress. Even when she is out riding her horses at the couple’s Oxfordshire estate, white is preferred.
      She explained her stylistic passion to The Sun, saying: “Everything becomes really simple. It’s like wearing a school uniform as an adult.
      “It matches with everything and I literally don’t have to think in the mornings. It kind of looks like you’ve made an effort when you haven’t.”
      And if you were to look at the singer-turned-children author’s Instagram page, you would think her life was perfect bliss.
      A week ago she was celebrating her horse Look at Mee’s first race; five weeks back Christian was awarded a CBE and before Christmas she held a star-studded 50th birthday party for her husband.
      The guests included Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart and Gary Barlow.
      When it was Geri’s own 50th in 2022, David Walliams, Holly Willoughby, Rylan, Chris Evans, Myleene Klass and Poppy Delevingne joined in the celebrations.
      It kind of looks like you’ve made an effort when you haven’tGeri on always wearing white
      With the couple worth a reported £440million they can certainly afford to splash out on extravagant parties.
      They recently built 14 stables for their horses, which will take part in races. Their home in Banbury has donkeys, goats, ducks and she recently graced the cover of upmarket Country & Town House magazine.
      Geri’s daughter Bluebell, 17, and Christian’s daughter Olivia, ten – both from previous relationships – also share the plush mansion.
      She loves to bake with the kids and cook for her husband, when he’s not away at Grand Prix races.
      On Friday Christian will be the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.
      If he comes out with his good reputation in-tact, there will be no reason why Geri’s high life among the upper classes can’t go on.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      But if not, the glamorous invitations for the power couple are sure to dry up.
      Jack concludes: “Ultimately the findings of the investigation will determine whether this is just engine trouble or a high-speed crash for F1’s golden couple.”
      The Queen Consort Camilla hugging GeriCredit: Getty
      Geri singing to husband Christian with showbiz palsCredit: Instagram 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

    • 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