F1

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Mole close to Red Bull Racing camp ‘detonated Christian Horner sexting scandal to oust the F1 team boss’

      by

      A MOLE close to the Red Bull Racing camp allegedly detonated the Christian Horner sexting scandal in a bid to oust the F1 team boss, The Sun can reveal.Red Bull are investigating claims that an unknown player connected to the team orchestrated the WhatsApp leak and acted as a “puppet master”.A MOLE close to the Red Bull Racing camp allegedly detonated the Christian Horner sexting scandal, The Sun can revealCredit: PAThe anonymous release came a day after team principal Horner was cleared of sending improper texts to a female employee.Last night, an F1 insider told The Sun: “Rumours are swirling at Red Bull that there’s a mole in their ranks, someone who has it in for Christian.“The leak came as a shock. Someone has a vendetta against Christian.”That person acted like a puppet master.READ MORE CHRISTIAN HORNER“It seems to have been calculated to cause maximum damage to Christian’s career, humiliating him just 24 hours before the F1 season begins.“He believes someone set out to destroy him professionally and personally. “But the team stands firmly behind Christian and everyone’s working towards a common goal.”Qualifying for today’s Grand Prix went ahead at the Bahrain circuit yesterday.Most read in MotorsportMotor racing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messages More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Geri Halliwell knew about female staffer before sexting scandal & approved of her working with Christian, insider says

      by

      GERI Halliwell was left “heartbroken and humiliated” after hundreds of sexts sent by hubby Christian Horner to a female employee were leaked.The Spice Girl, 51, touched down in Bahrain on Thursday night just as the bombshell messages began to spread around the globe.Geri Halliwell knew of the female employee at the centre of her husband Christian Horner’s texting scandalCredit: ShutterstockHorner was snapped at a practice session in Bahrain with driver Max Verstappen making preparations ahead of qualifyingCredit: APThe Sun has learned that Geri knew of the female employee at the centre of the texting scandalCredit: AFPShe is planning to be by the Red Bull F1 chief’s side on the pre-race grid for today’s Grand Prix in a public show of solidarity. But sources said last night she has been left “distraught and devastated” over the scandal, which Horner, 50, had repeatedly played down.The devastating trove of texts sent anonymously to F1 bosses and media outlets confirmed Horner did send inappropriate messages behind Geri’s back, despite being cleared in a Red Bull probe.A source close to the pop star, who was on a Bahrain-bound private jet when the messages emerged, told The Sun: “Geri is heartbroken and feels utterly humiliated. She trusted him when he tried to play down the scandal.“He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriage.”READ MORE ON SEXTING SCANDALMeanwhile, The Sun has learned that Geri knew of the female employee at the centre of the texting scandal. A Red Bull insider said she even approved of the woman working in Horner’s team.Hauled in for crisis talksIt was also claimed yesterday that the employee was “unhappy” after the messages were leaked and believed the probe into his behaviour had been “one-sided”.A friend said: “We speak every day and she’s very unhappy – of course. In her way of thinking it’s all very one-sided and she has been crucified.”Horner was yesterday snapped at a practice session in Bahrain with driver Max Verstappen making preparations ahead of qualifying.Most read in MotorsportHe always told her he’d done nothing wrongSource close to GeriIt was reported that the Red Bull chief – who has won 13 world titles since heading the team as a 31-year-old in 2005 – had been hauled in for crisis talks with F1 bosses. The tension was palpable down in the paddock, with Red Bull team members avoiding mentioning the simmering scandal, other than the odd whisper.Horner was seen pacing from the hospitality area to the team’s garage, stopping only to check his phone and to sign autographs for waiting children.Christian Horner breaks silence on alleged leaksAn F1 source last night said that Red Bull workers fear there might be more leaked messages to come.The team boss refused to comment on the leaked WhatsApp sexts. Last night some of the grubby messages were reported, including a request for a “Santa PJ selfie”. He also regularly joked about Spanx, telling the woman she looks “attractive” in them.In another, Horner starts by asking: “Can I make a confession?” He then describes a trip on a private jet to Dubai where he claims that the woman got him “out of control”.Pesters woman for photosShe cuts him off by guessing that he had to nip to the bathroom.He confirms her suspicions and says he would have preferred it if she had been there with him. Horner also pesters the woman for photos. In another exchange, the pair have an innocent discussion about a photo for a travel document. Horner then writes: “You could send me a pic,” followed by a winky face emoji.At one point the female employee asked her boss how he would feel if Geri were to message someone in the way he was.I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegationsChristian HornerHorner also repeatedly asks the woman — who works with him at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes HQ – to delete their chat history.The woman apparently grew tired of her boss’s pleas for pictures and sexy chat, according to the Whats- App dossier. The leak appeared to be in line with the original accusation over alleged “sexually suggestive” messages sent by Horner.It was later claimed that the internal inquiry into the team boss was into “controlling and coercive” behaviour towards the woman.On Thursday, after the messages were leaked, defiant Horner said in a statement: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations. I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully co-operated with it every step of the way.“It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made.”There is no suggestion that pictures featuring sexual content are included in the leaked WhatApps.READ MORE SUN STORIESGeri, who married Horner in 2015, rocketed to fame in the 1990s with the Spice Girls, whose hits included Stop. She is expected to be with her husband today for the season’s opening race, alongside Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya, who owns 51 per cent of Red Bull.Red Bull Racing have declined to comment.The texts sent anonymously to F1 bosses and media outlets confirmed Horner did send inappropriate messages behind Geri’s back, despite being cleared in a Red Bull probeCredit: PAGeri, pictured with Horner on the grid at the Monaco GP, has not been spotted at the circuit in BahrainCredit: GettyThe defiant F1 chief has joined colleagues for the opening race of the seasonCredit: APHow Christian Horner’s shock texts were leakedBy Ben Hunt

      IT was an anonymous email sent and designed for maximum impact.
      It landed in my inbox almost 24 hours to the minute since Christian Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following Red Bull’s internal investigation.
      Other names included Liberty Media chief Greg Maffei, who owns the rights to F1. The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Dominacali.
      The F1 team bosses were also included for good measure. As was Max Verstappen’s father, Jos.
      It was from an anonymous sender, the title was simply the date – ‘Feb Twenty Nine’.
      Inside it was a Google Drive link containing 79 files claiming to be the evidence from the independent investigation.
      There is no way of knowing if they were real or fake yet irrespectively it sent another shockwave through the F1 paddock before this season had even started.
      Horner was sitting on the team’s pitwall during second practice in Bahrain when the email dropped.
      After the session, he walked out of the team’s garage and into the hospitality unit where he remained as the nuclear fallout began.
      He’d survived the outcome of the internal investigation into improper conduct following a complaint from a female colleague.
      One wonders whether he will survive this time after this very public humiliation – again, irrespective if they were indeed real or fake.
      Just hours earlier, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, called on the sport’s governing body, the FIA, demanding transparency.
      “I just read the statement, which was pretty basic,” said Wolff. “My personal opinion is we can’t really look behind the curtain.
      “There is a lady in an organisation that has spoken to HR and said there was an issue and it was investigated and yesterday the sport has received the message that it’s all fine, we’ve looked at it.
      “I believe with the aspiration as a global sport, on such critical topics, it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is?
      “We’re competitors, we’re a team and we can have our own personal opinions or not. But it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need to assess, what is right in that situation and what is wrong.
      “Are we talking with the right moral approach, with the values based on the speculation that is out there? As a sport, we cannot afford to leave things vague and opaque on critical topics like this, because this is going to catch us out.”
      Brown added: “It’s the responsibility ultimately of the organisers of Formula One, the owners of Formula One, to make sure that all the racing teams and the personnel and the drivers and everyone else involved in the sport are operating in a manner in which we all live by.
      “I don’t think it’s the teams’ roles and responsibilities. That’s up to FIA and Formula One to ultimately decide and ask what they feel gives them the level of transparency they need to ultimately come to their conclusion and we just have to count on them that they fulfil that obligation to all of us.”
      The emailed file will only increase that pressure in the form of scrutiny on Horner – who has always denied the accusations.
      It does also put Red Bull in a tricky position.
      Should the emailed file be legitimate and have made up elements from the initial report, which had been thoroughly examined and presented by the independent KC, then surely this is nothing new to them and their decision to stick with their team principal remains.
      To perform a u-turn on that simply now they have become public would possibly see criticism that they intended to keep their report private to save face.
      Whatever the outcome, it is a mess for the world champions.Reports of a wedge driven between Horner and Verstappen’s father have grown in recent weeks.
      So it was interesting that Jos Verstappen was in the paddock and wearing a team jacket and seemed unmoved to the chaos happening around him More

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Motorsport

      Humiliated Geri Horner urged to make Christian ‘grovel’ as text scandal ‘reopens old wounds’ of her turbulent love life

      by

      SHE breathed a huge sigh of relief when husband Christian Horner was cleared over allegations of inappropriate behaviour, earlier this week.But just 24 hours later Geri Horner’s nightmare returned – when a series of sexually suggestive WhatsApp messages, apparently from the Red Bull boss to a female colleague, were leaked to journalists.Geri and Christian Horner’s seemingly perfect marriage has been rocked in recent weeksCredit: GettyGeri was heartbroken after splitting from former fiance Henry BeckwithShe has built an idllyic country life in recent yearsCredit: Instagram/TheRealGeriHalliwelThe fresh blow came as the former Spice Girl flew in to Bahrain to join her husband in a show of unity, ahead of tomorrow’s Grand Prix.That trip has now been rocked as friends say the 51-year-old is taking a fresh look at their nine-year marriage after standing by him throughout the internal probe into his conduct.After the latest leak, Horner once again denied wrongdoing, saying: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation but to reiterate I have always denied the allegations, I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.”Since their lavish 2015 wedding Geri, who had a string of flings with popstars and TV celebrities before settling down, has cultivated a “country set” lifestyle, posting pictures from their sprawling estates in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire. Read More on HornersBut relationship expert Jo Hemmings believes “humiliated” mum-of-two is now facing “marriage D-day” in Bahrain.“This latest leak of messages to other women must be the mother of all public humiliations for Geri,” she says. “She may well decide to dodge the racetrack altogether and avoid the glare of the press, public and his F1 colleagues.”If she has sense she will go from the airport to somewhere private and call up her closest friends to get their support and reassurance. Most read in Motorsport”To let him stew in the knowledge that she knows and is in the country but is avoiding him.”That means he will be obliged to make the approach to her and grovel to get to see her to discuss.”Motor racing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messagesWhirlwind start The couple’s relationship, which began in 2013, got off to a scandalous start – with coming just six months after the birth of Christian’s daughter, Olivia, with his ex Beverley Allen. Geri and Christian are thought to have briefly split while he attempted to repair his 14-year relationship with Beverley.But in 2014, after a romance of just nine months, the couple announced their engagement with a notice in the Times.They tied the knot at St Mary’s Church in Woburn, Bedfordshire, the following May with British designer Phillipa Lepley. Geri has described Christian as her best friend, saying: “He knows me inside out. I don’t edit myself with him. It was a big learning curve.”Geri came to the realisation that things weren’t going to work with Henry. The age gap meant he had a wandering eyeThe former pop star, who already had daughter Bluebell, 17, from a brief relationship with screenwriter Sacha Gervasi, welcomed her their son Montague George Hector Horner, in 2017.She set about shedding the image of feisty Ginger Spice, who grew up on a Watford council estate, and became the epitome of the country wife, living in lavish surroundings at the family homes – with one boasting its own duck pond and farm, housing miniature donkeys, goats and stable for 14 horses.But the latest news threatens to rock her new county set life.“Having had a controversial start to her marriage to Christian and keen to escape forever being known as ‘Ginger Spice’, Geri seemingly had everything she wanted in life,” says Jo.“She had a devoted and successful husband who had nothing to do with the music industry, a gorgeous son with him, Monty, and a lavish country pile where she could live out her role as the picture-perfect wife and mother in luxurious, rural surroundings.”Christian was previously married to Beverley AllenChristian and Geri wed in 2015Credit: Doug Seeburg – The SunShe adds Christian’s track record, having left Beverley so soon after his daughter was born, could be haunting the star now.“When the allegation of her husband’s ‘inappropriate behaviour’ first surfaced early last month, she must have felt hurt, distressed and extremely anxious,” says Jo. “Could she trust Christian, who has had a pretty chequered relationship history, and dismiss it as nonsense?“She would certainly have been rocked by these allegations, whether she believed them or not, as they threatened to tear apart all that she had worked for and to destroy her hard sought-after life as a loving wife and mother living in beautiful surroundings. “But it seems like she chose to stand by her man as she was still planning to join him in Bahrain, in a show of solidarity.“However, with the latest leaks, it would seem that even though he was cleared of the original allegation, there is now no denying that he has a case to answer to Geri.”Old woundsThe leaks, which surfaced yesterday, will also open the old wounds of trust issues in previous romances, including her split from toff Lord Henry Beckwith.The couple split in 2012 after almost three years, amid reports of rows over Henry’s flirty behaviour.It was also thought Henry, who was seven years her junior, wasn’t ready to commit to marriage and children.A source told The Sun: “Geri came to the realisation that things weren’t going to work with Henry.Geri will feel so emotionally bruised now and wonder why she was oblivious to the signs or refused to acknowledge themJo Hemmings”The age gap meant he had a wandering eye when it came to other women and he was interested in partying. She doesn’t trust him.”Henry was her longest relationship, before meeting Christian, after a series of flings with famous names and high society figures.She dated polo player Jamie Morrison, the son of a pop publishing tycoon who also owns the Royal Berkshire Polo Club, in 1998, but they split because they had “nothing in common.”She moved on to DJ Chris Evans, after meeting him on Comic Relief in 1999 and she was left devastated when they split after two weeks, when he began dating Anna Friel.“It was as authentic as relationships go, in my shabby experience of relationships,” she said.How Christian Horner’s shock text were leakedBy Ben Hunt
      IT was an anonymous email sent and designed for maximum impact.
      It landed in my inbox almost 24 hours to the minute since Christian Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following Red Bull’s internal investigation.
      Other names included Liberty Media chief Greg Maffei, who owns the rights to F1. The FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Dominacali.
      The F1 team bosses were also included for good measure. As was Max Verstappen’s father, Jos.
      It was from an anonymous sender, the title was simply the date – ‘Feb Twenty Nine’.
      Inside it was a Google Drive link containing 79 files claiming to be the evidence from the independent investigation.
      There is no way of knowing if they were real or fake yet irrespectively it sent another shockwave through the F1 paddock before this season had even started.
      Horner was sitting on the team’s pitwall during second practice in Bahrain when the email dropped.
      After the session, he walked out of the team’s garage and into the hospitality unit where he remained as the nuclear fallout began.
      He’d survived the outcome of the internal investigation into improper conduct following a complaint from a female colleague.
      One wonders whether he will survive this time after this very public humiliation – again, irrespective if they were indeed real or fake.
      Just hours earlier, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, called on the sport’s governing body, the FIA, demanding transparency.
      “I just read the statement, which was pretty basic,” said Wolff. “My personal opinion is we can’t really look behind the curtain.
      “There is a lady in an organisation that has spoken to HR and said there was an issue and it was investigated and yesterday the sport has received the message that it’s all fine, we’ve looked at it.
      “I believe with the aspiration as a global sport, on such critical topics, it needs more transparency and I wonder what the sport’s position is?
      “We’re competitors, we’re a team and we can have our own personal opinions or not. But it’s more like a general reaction or action that we as a sport need to assess, what is right in that situation and what is wrong.
      “Are we talking with the right moral approach, with the values based on the speculation that is out there? As a sport, we cannot afford to leave things vague and opaque on critical topics like this, because this is going to catch us out.”
      Brown added: “It’s the responsibility ultimately of the organisers of Formula One, the owners of Formula One, to make sure that all the racing teams and the personnel and the drivers and everyone else involved in the sport are operating in a manner in which we all live by.
      “I don’t think it’s the teams’ roles and responsibilities. That’s up to FIA and Formula One to ultimately decide and ask what they feel gives them the level of transparency they need to ultimately come to their conclusion and we just have to count on them that they fulfil that obligation to all of us.”
      The emailed file will only increase that pressure in the form of scrutiny on Horner – who has always denied the accusations.
      It does also put Red Bull in a tricky position.
      Should the emailed file be legitimate and have made up elements from the initial report, which had been thoroughly examined and presented by the independent KC, then surely this is nothing new to them and their decision to stick with their team principal remains.
      To perform a u-turn on that simply now they have become public would possibly see criticism that they intended to keep their report private to save face.
      Whatever the outcome, it is a mess for the world champions.Reports of a wedge driven between Horner and Verstappen’s father have grown in recent weeks.
      So it was interesting that Jos Verstappen was in the paddock and wearing a team jacket and seemed unmoved to the chaos happening around him.

      Robbie Williams dated the singer for six months, in 2000 and later said: “It was fun, and we were just a little gang that were sharing a very magical moment, in a magical place.”Other romances included Bobby Hashemi, millionaire Iranian-born founder of the Coffee Republic, Duncan James and Blue bandmate Lee Ryan, and David Walliams.A six week summer fling with Sacha Gervasi in 2006, resulted in her becoming a single mum to Bluebell.Two years later she announced her engagement to Italian shipping mogul Fabrizio Politi, who proposed  with a £150,000 ring.They split in 2009 with Fabrizio saying Geri suddenly got cold feet about marriage. He said: “Out of nowhere there was a very bad situation between us.”Still, he called the liaison “the happiest three months of my life”.Christian and Geri with their children (left) Bluebell, (centre) Montague and (right) Olivia in 2017Credit: Getty Images – GettyGeri previously had high profile romances with the likes of Robbie WilliamsJo says her previous romances, particularly with Henry, will now come back to haunt her.“Henry Beckwith made it clear – much to her disappointment – that he didn’t want the kind of commitment that marriage and children bring with it, so although he too destroyed her trust, it’s nowhere near the level of betrayal from Christian, who had made that commitment to her. READ MORE SUN STORIES“She will feel so emotionally bruised now and wonder why she was oblivious to the signs or refused to acknowledge them. “She’ll need a period of unconditional emotional support from her friends and family, and probably counselling to talk through and help her process her hurt and self-esteem and re-establish trust in another relationship in the future, as it will be seriously depleted and damaged. More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      Christian Horner’s Red Bull off to flying start ahead of F1’s Bahrain Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton starts in 9th place

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN overcame off-track distractions to take pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix.Verstappen’s boss at Red Bull, Christian Horner, has been the centre of a smear campaign following an internal investigation over a complaint of inappropriate behaviour.Max Verstappen is on pole for the Bahrain GP this weekedCredit: GettyRed Bull’s latest win came after Christian Horner’s internal investigationCredit: GettyLewis Hamilton will start in ninth for his final season with MercedesCredit: APHorner, who has always denied the accusations, was cleared on Wednesday after the grievance against him was dismissed by the team’s owners Red Bull.However, he was launched back into the firing line on Thursday when an anonymous email was distributed to key paddock personnel claiming to be evidence from the report.The file contained images of WhatsApp exchanges which Horner refused to comment on.The bombshell threatened to disrupt their preparations for the new season however, Verstappen responded by taking the 33rd pole of his career ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell.READ MORE F1 NEWSThe world champion was congratulated by Horner over the team’s radio after fearing he had blown his chance at pole.As he crossed the line, Gianpiero Lambiase – Verstappen’s engineer – said: “It was enough Max, well done.”Verstappen replied: “I’m so sorry GP.”Horner then added: “Nothing to be sorry about Max. A very good start. Two tenths clear of Charles and three tenths clear of George.”Most read in MotorsportVerstappen, who was 0.228 seconds quicker than Leclerc’s Ferrari, added: “We did very well in that qualifying to get the most out of it. So thank you to everyone. Well done.”He later said: “It was a lot of fun. The track had a lot of grip but with the wind the last two days, it was tricky to get the whole lap together. It was the same in qualifying.Motor racing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messagesBahrain Grand Prix qualifying resultsPOLE POSITION: MAX VERSTAPPEN

      2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
      3. George Russell (Mercedes)
      4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
      5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
      6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
      7. Lando Norris (McLaren)
      8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
      9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
      10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
      11. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
      12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
      13. Alex Albon (Williams)
      14. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
      15. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
      16. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
      17. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
      18. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
      19. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
      20. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

      “To really get everything out of it in Q3 was a little more difficult but I’m very happy to be on pole.”It was a little bit unexpected but luckily in qualifying the car came to us and I felt a bit happier with the whole car.”The race is going to be close as well. We look good as well but we’ll see tomorrow. I’m confident we can have a strong race.”Russell who was third added: “Everybody at the factory has done an amazing job to give Lewis and in a car that we feel much happier with and a base we can build upon.”Ultimately, Max is still out there in front and we still have a lot of catching up to do.”When we look at our qualifying performances in the last two years in Bahrain, and the race pace, starting in P3 is a great place.”There’s been a huge amount of work. We have obviously made a big step forward in one lap pace and we hope we haven’t compromised the race pace.”I think it will be a close fight between everybody apart from Max.”Red Bull are so strong at the moment and Max is doing a great job. He’s got the new tyres. If there’s an opportunity to take the lead but ultimately the race for all of us is for second.READ MORE SUN STORIES”But, nobody knows, it’s the first race of the season, I’m so excited to be back and let’s hope for some craziness.”However, his teammate Lewis Hamilton was down in ninth place but 0.531 seconds behind Verstappen’s time in what is an incredibly close top 10. More

    • 163 Shares99 Views

      in Motorsport

      What is Max Verstappen’s net worth and who is the richest F1 driver?

      by

      FORMULA ONE racers put their lives on the line every time they jump behind the wheel – so it only makes sense that winners such as Max Verstappen earn large amounts.Red Bull earned a reported £110million following Max Verstappen’s dominant championship win during the 2023 campaign.Max Verstappen won 86% of the 2023 F1 racesCredit: GettyThe F1 icon won 19 of last year’s 22 races which meant that he finished first in 86 percent of the races – smashing Alberto Ascari’s 1952 record of 75 percent.And in doing so, Verstappen added a lot of first-place bonuses to his bank account. But just how much is the serial winner worth?What is Max Verstappen’s net worth?Max Verstappen has commanded the most lucrative F1 contract for the past two seasons when accounting bonuses which has taken his net worth up to approximately £165.5million.Read more on Max VerstappenThe four-time champion is an ambassador for EA Sports and has a host for personal sponsors, all of which helped him earn a place in Forbes’ 2023 list of sports top young earners.Verstappen, 26, also has a great affinity of cars, with his collection to be worth around £2.3m and the Dutchman has even invested in his own GT team.He resides in Monaco which says it all for the type of lifestyle he lives – not cheap at all.Reports suggest that Verstappen’s contract is worth around £43m a year with Red Bull.Most read in MotorsportMax Verstappen’s contract figures are staggeringCredit: GettyWho is the richest F1 driver?For all of Max Verstappen’s earnings, the 2023 F1 championship winner is surprisingly not the richest driver – Michael Schumacher is.An era-defining driver for many fans of motorsport, the seven-time F1 champion was named the highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 1999 and 2000 and even predicted to be the first billionaire athlete in 2005.In 2017, he was named as the fifth-highest athlete of all time in terms of career earnings, but he has not been seen publicly since his life-changing skiing accident in 2013.The German was well-known for his charitable donations, including a £39.5m donation to UNESCO during his final five years of racing.Predictably, Schumacher and his family have a worldwide real estate portfolio, while Schumacher also earned a staggering amount through brand endorsements, including a £8.5m deal to wear a shell hat and show its logo in nearly all public appearances.Here is the top 5:
      Michael Schumacher: £462.5m
      Lewis Hamilton: £224.7m
      Fernando Alonso: £205m
      Max Verstappen: £165.5m
      Kimi Raikkonen: £140.6m
      What is the F1 2024 calendar?Below is the entire race calendar for the F1 2024 season:🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

    • 213 Shares199 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 legend Martin Brundle ‘very sad’ over Horner leaked messages and says ‘this is just the beginning’

      by

      FORMULA ONE legend Martin Brundle has weighed in on Christian Horner’s leaked messages.Red Bull chief Horner had a tranche of messages and photos that show details of private conversations between himself and an unknown female employee leaked online yesterday.Martin Burndle has had his say on Christian Horner’s leaked messagesCredit: RexHorner saw a slew of messages between himself and a female colleague leak yesterdayCredit: PAThe WhatsApp messages, which were sent to F1 teams and media outlets, were revealed just 24 hours after Horner was cleared of inappropriate behaviour following a three-week internal investigation.And the bombshell leak has left the F1 world in shock, including Sky Sports presenter and former driver Brundle.The 64-year-old was bringing viewers coverage ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Bahrain when he discussed the new developments.He said: “My personal take is that I am very sad about the whole thing, a lot of people are getting dragged into this.READ MORE ON HORNER”F1 is all over the front pages, all over the internet all around the world and it’s not about the racing, it is not about who is going to win this Grand Prix and who is going to be on pole position.”So I think it is unquestionable that it is not good for F1, what is going on, and I do believe that some actions need to be taken to move this along and to bring this to an absolute conclusion.”But as I have said, it feels to me like this is the beginning of the story rather than the end of it but we will have to wait and see.”We do know that all allegations have been denied, but it is just a horrible situation.”Most read in MotorsportHorner has already released a statement in which he seemingly labels the leaks as “anonymous speculation”.It read: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations.Christian Horner breaks silence on alleged leaks”I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.”It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made.”Horner’s marriage to Spice Girl Geri Haliwell is now said to be “in question” after she was left “extremely humiliated” by the latest developments.The Team Principal was in Bahrain when the messages leaked on Thursday – and he was pictured at training on Friday.He jetted to the Gulf kingdom on Wednesday before he was cleared of wrongdoing after being accused of inappropriate behaviour and sending improper messages.Geri meanwhile was back home in the UK, but is now understood to be in Bahrain to be with her husband.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, beating Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
      2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row More

    • 263 Shares179 Views

      in Motorsport

      Ultimate F1 team principals rich list as Christian Horner’s net worth is revealed, but his wealth is dwarfed by a rival

      by

      BEING an F1 team principal guarantees a fair wedge.They are paid huge salaries, with Red Bull supremo Christian Horner earning £8million-per-year, while Mercedes rival Toto Wolff is said to have a salary worth around £7million.Red Bull Racing supremo Christian Horner is one of the most recognisable faces of F1 and commands a salary of £8m-per-yearCredit: GettyHorner’s rival Toto Wolff at Mercedes-Benz earns slightly less per-year – but has he got a great net worth?Credit: GettyWith those great pay packets comes great responsibilty, with those at the top driving things behind the scenes while being teh public face of the operation. But, who is the richest?Join SunSport in counting down the ultimate F1 team principals rich list, from estimates researched online.10. Bruno Famin, £500,000Famin took over the reigns as team principal for Alpine on an interim basis in 2023.READ MORE F1 NEWSHe will continue in the role this season, but is a relative newbie to the game.The Frenchman has held a number of leading roles in motorsport, including as director of Peugeot Sport.He originally joined Alpine in 2022 and served as CEO in charge of engine development.Bruno Famin took over the reigns as team principal for Alpine on an interim basis in 2023 and is estimated to have a £500,000 fortuneCredit: GettyRacing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messages9. Ayao Komatsu, £650,000Similarly to Famin, Komatsu has an established career in motor racing.Most read in MotorsportHe enjoyed spells with BAR and Lotus until moving to Haas in 2016 as their trackside engineering director, following Romain Grosjean.Clearly, the American team believe in the Japanese engineer.Back in January, he was promoted to team principal after the departure of the legendary Guenther Steiner.Ayao Komatsu was promoted to team principal of Haas after the departure of the legendary Guenther Steiner and has an estimated £650,000 net worthCredit: Getty8. Mike Krack £800,000Aston Martin moved to replace Otmar Szafnauer with Krack in 2022.In truth, though, he is a seasoned pro – having worked with BMW Sauber from the mid-2000’s.He held a variety of roles, including overseeing their Formula E, IMSA and GT programme.With Aston Martin continuing to improve, he could be higher on the list this time next year.Mike Krack worked with BMW Sauber from the mid-2000’s until becoming team principal and CEO of Aston Martin and is worth £800,000Credit: Gettyread more sport features7. Laurent Mekies, £1millionMekkies was in a cushy role at Ferrari as their sporting director.But, fancying a challenge, he took on the role of team principal with AlphaTauri from January, taking over from Franz Tost.”A new adventure starts now, and it is with a great sense of gratefulness that I go from a very special racing family to another very special racing family,” he said on joining Red Bull Racing’s sister team.Before joining Ferrari he was safety director at the FIA and deputy race director. Laurent Mekies took on the role of team principal with AlphaTauri from January after taking over from Franz Tost and has £1million in the bankCredit: Getty6. Andrea Stella, £1.2millionLast season, Stella took over the reigns at the famous McLaren team from Andreas Seidl.A graduate in aerospace engineering at La Sapienza University in Rome, with a PhD in mechanical engineering with an experimental study on fluid dynamics of flames, he began as performance engineer at Ferrari in 2000.Between 2002-2006, the Italian worked with Michael Schumacher and then Kimi Raikkonen from 2007-2008.He moved to McLaren in 2015 as head of race operations, before working his way up the ranks.Andrea Stella, worth £1.2million, moved to McLaren in 2015, before working his way up the ranks to become team principal last seasonCredit: Getty5. Fred Vasseur, £3.5millionVasseur has one of the dream jobs – as principal of Scuderia Ferrari.It’s a high-pressured role, which he jumped into in 2023 on a reported salary of £2.5million per-year – so, again, expect him to jump up this list in the years to come.In the six years prior, Vasseur worked at Alfa Romeo Sauber and Renault as team boss.Next year, he will be working with Lewis Hamilton.Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is in a high-pressured role and earns a whopping salary with estimates putting his fortune at the £3.5million markCredit: Getty4. James Vowles, £4millionEnglishman Vowles came to Williams as team principal last season.He was formerly Mercedes’ motorsport strategy director, until he took on the post.He made his Formula 1 debut as an engineer for the Honda racing team before moving on as a strategist for Brawn GP. James joined Williams at the end of 2022 and at the age of 44, is the youngest team principal on the grid, with an estimated £4million fortune.James Vowles, who is in the hotseat at Williams, is the youngest team principal on the grid and has earned £4millionCredit: Getty3. Alessandro Alunni Bravi, £4millionIn 2022, Alfa Romeo tried to break away from the traditional structure of team principal by appointing a management structure to oversee the team.Heading that up is Alunni Bravi as team representative, an Italian who is also a qualified lawyer.His duties pretty much echo that of team principal – he deals with F1 bosses and sponsors.He was previously the team principal of the trident GP2 team and has served as a board member of Sauber since 2017.Italian Alessandro Alunni Bravi, team representative of Alfa Romeo F1, is tied with Vowles with an estimated wealth of £4millionCredit: Getty2. Christian Horner, £50millionRed Bull Racing principal Horner is the highest paid on the F1 circuit – with an annual salary said to be in the region of £8million.He’s been with the Austrians since 2005, and has successfully led them to nine titles.Horner began in motorsport with aspirations to become a driver – and had some success in the late 90s – even founding his own team, but ended his driving career in 1998 at just 25.Away from the grid, the Englishman is married to Spice Girl Geri and they share two homes, in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire.But his F1 career has been tainted after he was caught up in a texting probe involving female colleague.£50m man Christian Horner, seen with wife Geri Halliwell, is the most famous team principal on the circuitCredit: Getty1. Toto Wolff, £1.2billionTop of the pile, with a staggering net worth, is the German Wolff.Forbes listed him as a billionaire back in 2023, thanks mainly to his one-third stake in the Mercedes F1 operation along with parent company Daimler AG and ‘principal partners’ INEOS.A banker before an F1 legend, more of Wolff’s wealth was built through two investment firms he founded.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe paid $50million (about £40m) for his 30 per cent share in Mercedes in 2012, which is now believed to be substantially more.Prior to that, he put money into Williams in 2009. He is miles ahead of his competitors.Toto Wolff is worth a staggering £1.2billion thanks, in part, to a savvy 30 per cent investment in the Mercedes-Benz F1 teamCredit: Getty More

    • 250 Shares199 Views

      in Motorsport

      Five shock twists in Christian Horner ‘sext’ scandal from message leak, to Geri Halliwell’s fury & Red Bull ‘civil war’

      by

      CHRISITAN Horner’s relief after being cleared of wrongdoing was short-lived when private messages between him and a colleague were then leaked.The embattled Red Bull Racing chief, 50, has endured almost a month of twists and turns as he looks to save his reputation.Christian Horner stands in his team garage during the third practice session on FridayCredit: APHorner and wife Geri at the Ferrari Sky Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in DecemberCredit: GettyHorner became the focus of an internal investigation early in February after a female colleague accused him of “coercive” and “inappropriate” behaviour.He was grilled for eight hours over claims before an independent barrister was employed to review the evidence.On Wednesday, Red Bull revealed Horner’s £8 million-a-year job was safe as he had been cleared of misconduct.The team principal, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, has always vehemently denied allegations made against him.More on Christian HornerBut less than 24 hours later hundreds of secret messages were leaked to the press – the latest in a series of twists in the ongoing saga threatening to overshadow the F1 season.Red Bull wrongfooted at firstThe probe got off to a rocky start straight away when the F1 team and its parent company contradicted each other.Red Bull Racing’s team office in Milton Keynes repeatedly denied the allegation of a complaint against Horner on February 4, The Times reported.But just a day later, Red Bull’s Global Headquarters in Austria put out a statement confirming an investigation.Most read in MotorsportIt is understood the statement was put out without officials at the F1 team being notified first.Inside Christian Horner’s 4-week fight for his career from 8hr grilling to Geri Halliwell’s agony…& why saga may go on Sexts surface in Dutch mediaAfter news broke of the probe, an independent lawyer flew to the UK to question the multi-millionaire race ace and his accuser.Horner was initially only under investigation over alleged controlling behaviour at work towards a female worker.But fresh claims then emerged alleging Horner also sent her “sexually suggestive” texts.News outlet De Telegraaf reported that Horner allegedly sent improper messages to his employee “over an extended period of time”.Messages were claimed to have been saved and presented as evidence to the external ­barrister running the inquiry after the woman made a complaint last December.Horner pictured with wife Geri Halliwell last yearCredit: GettyGeri standing by him Horner’s wife Geri Halliwell, who he married in 2015, was said to be “in floods of tears” when news of the scandal emerged.The Spice Girls star privately insisted he did nothing wrong, however.The Sun reported how Geri was being supported by her Spice Girl bandmates.A source said: “Geri has been left ­broken by the ordeal, but is grateful for the kindness being shown to her by friends.”More than a week after the probe was launched, she was pictured with Horner for a day at the races at Badbury Rings, Dorset.But later reports said the star was “mortified and angry” over the probe.Insiders say Geri had even begged Horner to “make it go away”, reports the Mail.On Wednesday, Geri was said to be “relieved and elated” when the case against her Red Bull Racing boss husband Horner was thrown out.But after a trove of flirty texts was leaked, their marriage is now said to be “in question”.Friends of Geri fear the latest bombshell will “destroy” the mum-of-two, who shares seven-year-old son Monty with Horner.One pal told the outlet: “It has all come crashing down.”The tears stopped when the judgment came in on Wednesday, now they absolutely will have started again. This will destroy her.”All along Christian promised there was nothing in it.”Geri landed in Bahrain on Thursday – having taken off from the UK before the messages were shared.Horner spoke with Verstappen at the Bahrain International CircuitCredit: APHorner exoneratedHorner found out on Wednesday he will remain at the Red Bull Racing team’s helm after an internal three-week investigation dismissed the grievance.It came after weeks of speculation over his future running the all-conquering team of F1 world champion Max Verstappen.A Red Bull Austria spokesman said: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.”The team’s parent company confirmed the complainant “has a right of appeal”.The spokesman added: “Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial. “The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and therefore we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned.”Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.”Horner found out his fate just minutes after landing in Bahrain ahead of the opening Grand Prix of the F1 season.Throughout the three-week probe, the message from within the team has been that it is “business as usual”.Horner was present at the pre-season testing in Bahrain a week prior and Red Bull’s 2024 car launch days prior.After he was cleared, Horner said he was “pleased” the investigation had been completed.Sexts leak to journalists/FIAJust when Horner thought he was in the clear and could fully focus on the Bahrain Grand Prix, a bombshell trove of hundreds of flirty WhatsApp sexts was sent to F1 teams and media outlets. The move was also calculated to cause maximum damage to Horner’s career – just 24 hours before the start of the new Grand Prix season in Bahrain.Horner immediately spoke out, saying: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations.”“I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.“It was a thorough and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the complaint made.”Leaked private texts appeared to suggest Red Bull Racing boss Horner, 50, pestered a female employee for pictures and engaged in secret flirty chats behind his wife’s back.Other messages discuss a solo sex act in an aircraft toilet.While there don’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.The woman – who works with Horner at the all-conquering grand prix team’s Milton Keynes HQ – apparently tired of her boss’s pleas for pictures and sexy chat, according to the WhatsApp dossier.She asks him to stop – and even asks how the dad would feel if Geri was behaving in the same way with one of her staff.Texts also suggest Horner became apologetic as he realised he had caused offence – and responded by asking the woman to delete their entire WhatsApp history.The mega-leak appeared to be in line with the original accusation faced over alleged “sexually suggestive “ messages sent by Horner.READ MORE SUN STORIESTeam Principal Horner arrived in Bahrain on Thursday and had proudly announced his team – led by world champ Max Verstappen – had “never been stronger” just hours before.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, beating Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
      2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row More