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      Who are Christian Horner’s parents Garry and Sara?

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      CHRISTIAN Horner became the youngest ever team principal when he was appointed head of Red Bull Racing.He’s been making headlines since early February 2024 for allegedly texting “inappropriate” messages to a female colleague — here we take a look at the racing man’s parents Garry and Sara.Christan Horner with his mother Sara and wife GeriCredit: InstagramWho is Christian Horner’s father Garry?Christian, 50, from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was born into a family of motor enthusiasts.His grandfather was the purchasing manager at the Standard Motor Company, Coventry, before setting up a business supplying parts to motor manufacturers with his son Garry — Christian’s father.You can say that his parents are absolutely devastated. We won’t be going to the weddingA family memberGarry also helped Christian set up his racing team Arden in 1997 by supplying his son with a loan.Speaking of his early life, Christian 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.”READ MORE ON CHRISTIAN HORNERWho is Christian Horner’s mother Sara?Sara, Christian’s mother, prefers to keep her personal information out of the public eye.Aside from a couple of photos on her son’s social media, there is practically no trace of her online.Motor racing world in ‘disbelief’ at Christian Horner alleged leaked messagesWhy did Christian Horner’s parents snub his wedding?Before marrying Scary Spice, Christian lived 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.Most read in MotorsportThat dream came true when Beverley gave birth to Olivia in October 2013, but Christian couldn’t be at the birth of his daughter 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.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, meeting Christian through a shared love for motorsport — and before long they were betrothed.Many people were surprised by the whirlwind engagement because neither Geri, who has a daughter Bluebell, now 17, from a former relationship, nor Christian had previously walked down the aisle.The news was not welcomed by Christian’s parents Garry and Sara, who did not attend the couple’s star studded 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.”Eventually, Christian managed to patch things up with both his parents and Beverley.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn a 2023 interview 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 [Christian and Geri’s son].”It’s totally harmonious.”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 More

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

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      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

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      Geri Halliwell ‘left humiliated’ as she faces ‘worst PR crisis of her career’ amid Christian Horner sexting scandal

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      ON January 29 this year, Geri Horner, née Halliwell, took to Instagram for the last time.To her 1.4million followers she posted a glamorous, heavily airbrushed magazine cover of herself, headlined “Perfect”.Geri Halliwell’s life now seems far from ‘perfect’ after being publicly humiliated with infidelity claims against her husbandCredit: RexRed Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner has been accused of ‘sexting’ another womanCredit: GettySocial media is, indeed, a cruel beast. Fast-forward five weeks, and the poor, very publicly humiliated star’s life seems anything but.At 3.45pm on an otherwise non- descript Thursday — although, ironically, a leap year when women are encouraged to subvert tradition and propose to their men — Geri discovered husband Christian Horner was caught sexting another woman.Sure, there is no suggestion of a physical affair, but 79 leaked WhatsApp messages show her husband clearly was in the throes of an emotional one.(A nadir, of course, that he nipped to an aeroplane toilet to self-pleasure).READ MORE GERI HORNERIn the words of the Spice Girls themselves, “Stop right now, thank you very much.”Indeed, for a woman who has spent the past 30 years espousing Girl Power, the situation in which she now finds herself is anything but.It is, though, one that millions of women have found themselves in since time immemorial — a libido-led husband.But few have had their relationship meltdowns played out on such a global scale.Most read in MotorsportOne can only imagine the sheer inner turmoil the heartbroken superstar must now be battling.The Spice & Speed Empire: Christian and Geri Horner’s £50M JourneyUtterly devastatingPutting the obvious personal trauma aside, put simply, as PR nightmares go, this doesn’t get much worse.A source close to Geri said yesterday: “This is humiliation on an international scale for Geri, and it’s almost impossible to imagine what she’s going through right now.“Christian has always privately asserted that the claims levelled against him were nonsense.“She’s not the type of woman to go through someone’s phone, so to see these in black and white after all his protestations of innocence is utterly devastating.“Geri has been bombarded with messages of support, and texts checking in on her, but she’s largely shutting everyone out, and simply trying to put one foot in front of the other.“Of course, to leave Christian — and walk away from the blissful life they’ve built for themselves — would be the ultimate act of ‘girl power’.“But as anyone with kids knows — not to mention a hinterland of love and connection — that is easier said than done.”Geri has been bombarded with messages of support amid the claims against her husbandCredit: Doug Seeburg – The SunTo further rub salt into the wound, today alienated Geri has awoken 3,000 miles from home, in the Middle East. For a woman idolised by millions, never will she have felt more alone.Geri was already safely ensconced on a private jet heading to Bahrain, where Christian is attending today’s Grand Prix — having a combined marital fortune of £480million does have its perks — when the tranche of messages were leaked.It was too late to turn the plane around. Her day from hell had begun. Whatever happens now, Geri would do well to “own” the narrative.Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationshipRed Bull insiderTo either come out swinging — issue a statement saying she and Christian have no secrets and made the joint decision to move on and make a go of things.Or hire a pitbull divorcee lawyer, and hit the Red Bull boss where it hurts.Whether she does either remains to be seen. I’m told Geri is now directing media inquiries to her legal team.But not even the best lawyer in the world can undo time, or take back those damning messages.Former Spice Girl Geri is seeing her relationship meltdown played out on a global scaleCredit: RexGeri, famed for that Union Jack dress, has spent the past few years steadfastly rebranding her carefully cultivated image.Out went the provocative ensembles, in came a plethora of all-white outfits, literally a symbol of purity and chastity.Again, how ironic this now looks in the face of her husband’s sexts.(Although, quite how he managed to woo Geri with such chat — at one point he waxes lyrical about Coco Pops, and let’s not go there with the “finger” text — is in itself baffling).In the past few years she’s become a children’s author, has done countless charitable acts and moved to the countryside, where she’s more likely to be seen in Hunter wellies than six-inch Christian Louboutins.In another unfortunate plot twist, I’m told Geri was “personally aware of” the appointment of the female colleague at the centre of this tawdry scandal.A Red Bull insider says: “Geri knows of this woman, and had no qualms about their working relationship.“This was the woman for whom her husband turned. Again, this is a bitter, bitter pill to swallow.” The reaction on social media has been mixed. Naturally “Christian Horny” gags are rife: “Has Christian been showing people his horn?” is another comment doing the rounds.While many sympathise with the Spice Girl, who brought absolutely none of this on herself, others are less forgiving.Underneath her last “Perfect” Instagram post, yesterday scores of so-called fans posted unkindly.“Where’s the girl power now? A woman has spoken, where’s the support,” queried one, a reference to Horner allegedly abusing his position — something his F1 team have cleared him of and he strenuously denies.Others, more alarmingly for Geri’s PR team, have brought up the manner in which she and Christian got together in the first place.They mixed socially before they began dating, first meeting at the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix.Christian left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughterCredit: Desmond O’Neill Features LtdThey officially got together, though, after the Formula One boss left his long-term partner Beverley Allen just six months after the birth of their daughter, Olivia. But the pair were spotted cavorting in a North London pub by a friend of mine long before they went public with their romance.“They were very flirty, joking to pub goers they were engaged,” said my friend at the time.When Beverley was approached about it for comment, she denied all knowledge — and the story went away.There is no suggestion of any cheating, but it’s clear they had developed a strong bond long before things got serious.Christian’s parents were reportedly devastated when he left Beverley to be with the chart-topping star — and shunned the couple’s 2015 nuptials at St Mary’s church in Woburn, Bedfordshire.On Instagram yesterday, one anonymous user posted: “Wondering if Geri feels empathy for Beverley now that [a similar] thing has occurred with her.Before it was Geri/Christian when Bev was pregnant/bed-ridden/giving birth and abandoned when most vulnerable.“Now Christian appears to have done the same thing to Geri and their slightly older son. Karma does have a way.”Ouch. Meanwhile, Geri has cut herself off from her one-time Spice Girl “rocks”.The band, minus Victoria Beckham, were due to be getting together soon to discuss tour dates for a comeback.Deeply loyalA source added: “Geri has gone into lockdown which now puts the wider Spice plans on hold.“The quartet always intended to mark their 30-year anniversary with some shows in 2024, as well as other commercial activity, but it seems unlikely this will happen now.”Spiritual Geri is a big fan of self-help books. (During my last interview with her she earnestly recommended one to me, adding: “Rejection is God’s rejection” when I told her I was newly single.There is no amount of self-help books that can get her out of this pickle.It is hard not to have some sympathy with the well-meaning mother of two (she also happily co-parents stepdaughter Olivia with Christian).From personal experience, Geri — a former UN Goodwill Ambassador — is kind, deeply loyal and hugely family-orientated.I last saw her during lockdown. The previous week she had secretly visited the Whittington Hospital in North London, handing out care packages to frontline nurses.She didn’t court the publicity because she didn’t need to.Unwittingly being thrust into the eye of this media s***storm, then, must be all the more galling for a kind, hard-working, incredibly generous woman intent on living a quieter lifeREAD MORE SUN STORIESAnd you wouldn’t wish this scenario on your worst enemy.For a woman of 51, who once said: “I’ve really learned how important it is to empower women”, only time will tell how empowering her next act will be.Christian and Geri Horner have been a happy family with children (left) Bluebell, (centre) Montague and (right) OliviaCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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

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      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

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      Christian Horner accuser ‘very unhappy’ and slams ‘one-sided’ Red Bull probe after bombshell ‘sexts’ leak

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      CHRISTIAN Horner’s accuser believes she’s been “crucified” and has slammed Red Bull’s “one-sided” investigation amid the ‘sexts’ leak.The female employee who accused the F1 boss of “inappropriate behaviour” is allegedly “very unhappy” with the way the probe has been handled.Despite the scandal, Horner looked unfazed this afternoon in Bahrain for a test run ahead of tomorrow’s F1 season openerCredit: PAHorner during the third free practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit todayCredit: RexJust 48 hours ago Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing by Red Bull, before shocking ‘sexts’ were leaked yesterday.Horner’s accuser has remained anonymous but MailOnline claim to have spoken to a source close to her.They reported the insider told them: “My reaction to all this is that it is disgusting.”In the words of Red Bull, Christian Horner has been cleared but I think many people look at that answer and can’t quite fathom out the truth behind it.”Read More on Christian HornerThey said they have no idea who leaked the messages and added: “We speak every day and she’s very unhappy – of course. In her way of thinking it’s all very one-sided and she’s been crucified.”The insider admitted they have not read the texts personally but claimed “there was never any relationship between her and Christian”.”Are the Red Bull investigation team independent? Who knows?,” the source questioned.They alleged while Horner had been questioned for 12 hours, the accuser had been “grilled” for “a lot more than that”. Most read in MotorsportDespite the scandal, Horner looked unfazed this afternoon as he stood trackside in Bahrain for a test run ahead of tomorrow’s F1 season opener.Christian Horner breaks silence on alleged leaksThe dad, 50, was pictured with headphones around his neck as he chatted to Max Verstappen at the Bahrain International Circuit.But, he is understood to have left before the end of the practice for a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Sky F1 correspondent Ted Kravitz reported.Earlier today, pictures showed F1 chief Horner chatting to colleagues as he sat at a table with them.Geri has not yet been seen in the paddock, however.Since the leaks it has been reported Geri’s marriage is now “in question”.The Spice Girls singer has again been left “extremely humiliated” after believing he was in the clear.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 Mail: “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.”RED BULL INVESTIGATIONIt came after weeks of speculation over Horner’s 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. READ MORE SUN STORIES”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.”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

      There are reports the marriage is now ‘in question’ following the latest bombshellCredit: getty More

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

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      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

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

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      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

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

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      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