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

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      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

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      Christian Horner’s texts to staffer about getting ‘out of control’ on plane & seedy chat about Spanx & selfies

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      CHRISTIAN Horner’s texts to a female employee about getting “out of control” on a plane and seedy chat about Spanx and selfies have been revealed.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.Horner seen in Bahrain ahead of the season openerCredit: GettyChristian Horner looking at his mobile phone in the team garageCredit: APGeri found out about the messages while she was heading to BahrainCredit: GettyThe messages from the Red Bull boss have been leakedCredit: GettyHorner and wife Geri Halliwell pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza in 2014Credit: GettyHorner is being questioned by press today in BahrainCredit: SplashGeri Halliwell found out about the text message leak while she was mid-air on a plane to BahrainCredit: AFPLast night some of the 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”.She 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.Most read in MotorsportHorner 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.Horner 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 WhatsApp dossierThe Red Bull Boss had just returned to Bahrain for the F1 season opener and his wife Geri Halliwell flew out to join him amid reports her marriage is now “in question”.The woman – who works with Horner at the all-conquering grand prix team’s Milton Keynes HQ – appears to tire of her boss’s pleas for pictures and sexy chat, according to the leaked WhatsApp dossier.She asks him to stop – and in one text even asks how the dad would feel if Geri was behaving in the same way with one of her staff.According to MailOnline she is “very unhappy” at the results of the internal probe which saw him cleared. A source close to the woman said they feel she has been treated unfairly and that the situation is “disgusting”.The unnamed source told the Mail: “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.”It’s obviously not going to rest now because of these leaks. I wasn’t aware of the messages prior to them being picked up by the media and I have no idea at all who is responsible for the leak.”Despite the bombshell messages, Horner looked unfazed this afternoon as he stood trackside in Bahrain for a test run ahead of tomorrow’s F1 season opener.The 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 apparently found out about the devastating leak while mid-air en route to Bahrain – and has not yet been seen in the paddock.Sources close to the Spice Girl say she was “relieved and elated” when the case against her Horner was thrown out on Wednesday.Ginger Spice Geri endured three weeks of torment in which she was said to have stood by her man after being left in “floods of tears” when the scandal first broke.Now the singer has again been left “extremely humiliated” less than 24 hours after she thought Horner, who she wed in 2015, 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.”READ MORE SUN STORIESHorner was also left reeling after hundreds of WhatsApp messages were sent to F1 teams and media outlets.Messages appeared to suggest Horner pestered the woman for pictures behind his wife’s back.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.

      Horner speaking with Verstappen at the Bahrain International CircuitCredit: APGeri Halliwell and Christian Horner leave St Marys Church in Woburn on their wedding day in 2015Credit: Splash NewsThe defiant F1 chief joined colleagues for the test run in Bahrain todayCredit: APHorner’s wife Geri pictured at the Bahrain circuit last MarchCredit: AFP More

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

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      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

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

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      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

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      Christian Horner’s sext leak happened while wife Geri was in mid-air on her way to be by husband’s side in Bahrain

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      GERI Halliwell was mid-air en route to Bahrain when hundreds of flirty messages husband Christian Horner sent to a female employee were leaked, it is understood.The Spice Girls star was flying to be by her Red Bull Racing chief husband’s side after she was left “relieved and elated” he had been cleared of wrongdoing.Geri, pictured at a Grand Prix in 2021, has flown to BahrainCredit: GettyEmbattled F1 chief Horner pictured todayCredit: PAThe couple pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco last yearCredit: GettyBut The Sun understands Geri, 51, had already taken off from the UK when hundreds of private WhatsApp messages were sent to F1 teams and media outlets.Friends of the couple now claim their marriage is “in question” as Geri reels from the latest bombshell.Defiant Horner was today seen trackside in Bahrain for a test run ahead of tomorrow’s F1 season opener before being pulled for a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.Geri has not yet been seen in the paddock, however.More on Christian HornerThe singer, who married Horner in 2015, was said to be “in floods of tears” when news of the investigation first emerged almost a month ago.Geri privately insisted he did nothing wrong, however.The Sun reported how Geri was being supported by her Spice Girl bandmates.More than a week after the probe was launched, she was pictured with Horner for a day at the races at Badbury Rings, Dorset.Most read in MotorsportBut later reports said the star was “mortified and angry” over the probe.Sources close to the singer said she was “relieved and elated” when the case against her Horner was thrown out on Wednesday.Christian & Geri Horner MansionsBut 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 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.”It comes as…A trove of flirty private messages exchanged between Horner and a female colleague were sent to F1 teams and media outlets on Thursday as Geri flew from the UK to Bahrain.Messages appeared to suggest Horner pestered the woman for pictures behind his wife’s back.While there don’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.The move was also calculated to cause maximum damage to Red Bull Racing boss Horner’s career – just 24 hours before the start of the new Grand Prix season in Bahrain.After the messages were leaked yesterday, Horner again denied accusations made against him.He said: “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.”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.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe mega-leak appeared to be in line with the original accusation faced over alleged “sexually suggestive “ messages sent by Horner.There is no suggestion that any pictures featuring sexual content are included in the WhatApps leaked so far.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

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      How would you feel if Geri did this?, asked Christian Horner’s female colleague as he pestered her with sexts

      by

      THE female staffer Christian Horner sent intimate messages to asked the F1 chief how he would feel if his wife did the same.Leaked private texts appeared to suggest Red Bull Racing boss Horner, 50, pestered the woman for pictures and engaged in secret flirty chats behind his wife’s back.Christian Horner pictured with wife Geri HalliwellCredit: Getty Images – GettyThe couple married in 2015 in Woburn, BedfordshireCredit: Doug Seeburg – The SunHorner pictured at training in Bahrain todayCredit: PAHorner was yesterday left reeling when a vast trove of private texts were revealed a day after he had been cleared of wrongdoing.Hundreds of flirty WhatsApp sexts were sent to F1 teams and media outlets.The woman – who works with Horner at the all-conquering grand prix team’s Milton Keynes HQ – apparently tired of his pleas for pictures and sexy chat, according to the WhatsApp dossier.She asked him to refrain – and even asked how the married dad would feel if Geri was behaving in the same way with one of her staff.More on Christian HornerSpice Girls star Geri, 51, has now been left humiliated after the texts were leaked on Thursday.Pals of the couple claim their marriage is now “in question” for the first time.Insiders said the Ginger Spice star was “relieved and elated” when the case against Horner was thrown out on Wednesday.But after three weeks of torment, as Horner faced an internal investigation, she has now been left “extremely humiliated”.Most read in MotorsportFriends 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. Inside Christian Horner’s 4-week fight for his career from 8hr grilling to Geri Halliwell’s agony…& why saga may go on “The tears stopped when the judgment came in on Wednesday, now they absolutely will have started again. This will destroy her.”While there don’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.The move was also calculated to cause maximum damage to Red Bull Racing boss Horner’s career – just 24 hours before the start of the new Grand Prix season in Bahrain.Horner said: “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.”Messages appeared to suggest Horner – who was today pictured at training in Bahrain – pestered the woman for pictures and engaged in secret flirty chat behind his wife’s back.Other messages discuss a solo sex act in an aircraft toilet.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.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.

      The mega-leak appeared to be in line with the original accusation faced over alleged “sexually suggestive “ messages sent by Horner.It was later claimed that the barrister-led inquiry into the team boss was into “controlling and coercive” behaviour towards the woman.There is no suggestion that any pictures featuring sexual content are included in the WhatApps leaked so far.Team Principal Horner arrived in Bahrain on Thursday and had proudly announced his team – led by world champ Max Verstappen – had “never been stronger” yesterday morning.But Red Bull Racing and the team’s Austrian parent company were paralysed over by the fallout from the scandal and did not answer requests for comment.Geri – who has a six-year-old son Monty with Horner, who has two other children by a previous marriage – was back home in the UK as the texts were released.The couple were understood to have been locked in long-distance talks as aides attempted to manage the crisis.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt remained unclear whether Geri had been shown any of the messages prior to their distribution.But all traces of elation in the Horner camp following his exoneration just a day earlier appeared to have vanished as sources close to him went to ground.Horner speaking on the phone in Bahrain yesterdayCredit: ReutersHorner and Geri the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco last MayCredit: GettyHorner and Max Verstappen embraced during the test practice yesterdayCredit: PAA 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

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      Geri Halliwell & Christian Horner’s marriage ‘in question’ as Spice Girl begged F1 boss to ‘make sext scandal go away’

      by

      GERI Halliwell’s marriage to Christian Horner is said to be “in question” after private texts sent by her husband to a female employee were leaked.The Spice Girls star, 51, has been left humiliated after a vast trove of intimate texts between the F1 chief and a female colleague were revealed just a day after he was cleared of wrongdoing.Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner leave St Marys Church in Woburn on their wedding day in 2015Credit: Splash NewsThe couple pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza in 2014Credit: GettyHorner pictured at training in Bahrain todayCredit: PASources close to Geri say she was “relieved and elated” when the case against her Red Bull Racing boss husband Horner was thrown out on Wednesday.Ginger Spice Geri endured three weeks of torment in which she was said to have stood by her man after being left in “floods of tears” when the scandal first broke.Insiders say Geri had even begged Horner to “make it go away”, reports the Mail.Now the singer has again been left “extremely humiliated” just a day after she thought Horner, who she wed in 2015, was in the clear.More on Christian HornerPals of the couple say their marriage is “now in question for the first time” after the flirty text exchange between Horner and a female staffer was shared.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. Most read in Motorsport”All along Christian promised there was nothing in it.”The couple were understood to have been locked in long-distance talks as aides attempted to manage the crisis.Inside Christian Horner’s 4-week fight for his career from 8hr grilling to Geri Halliwell’s agony…& why saga may go on It remained unclear whether Geri had been shown any of the messages prior to their distribution.Team Principal Horner was in Bahrain when the messages leaked on Thursday – and he was pictured at training today.He jetted to the Gulf kingdom on Wednesday before he was cleared of wrongdoing after being accused of inappropriate behavior and sending improper messages.Geri meanwhile was back home in the UK, but was understood to be due to fly out before the weekend.Hundreds of WhatsApp messages were sent to F1 teams and media outlets yesterday.While there don’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.Messages appeared to suggest Horner pestered the woman for pictures while others discussed a solo sex act in an aircraft toilet.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.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.

      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.It was later claimed that the barrister-led inquiry into the team boss was into “controlling and coercive” behaviour towards the woman.There is no suggestion that any pictures featuring sexual content are included in the WhatApps messages leaked so far.The leak was also calculated to cause maximum damage to Red Bull Racing boss Horner’s career – just 24 hours before the start of the new Grand Prix season in Bahrain.Horner, who married the pop star in 2015, has always vehemently denied the claims and vowed to fight to clear his name.He said: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations.READ MORE SUN STORIES“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 pictured in Bahrain yesterdayCredit: AlamyGeri, pictured with Horner in 2023, has been left humiliated by the scandalCredit: AFPThe pair pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco last yearCredit: GettyHorner, right, speaking with chief technical officer Adrian Newey yesterdayCredit: Alamy More

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      Distraught Geri received shock Christian Horner sext bomb news while MID-AIR as she flew into Bahrain for tense reunion

      by

      GERI Halliwell was mid-air en route to Bahrain when hundreds of flirty messages husband Christian Horner sent to a female employee were leaked, it is understood.The Spice Girls star, 51, touched down in the Gulf kingdom amid reports her marriage to the Red Bull Racing chief is now “in question”.Christian Horner looked at a mobile phone as he stood in his team garage at today’s practice in BahrainCredit: APHorner spoke with Verstappen at the Bahrain International CircuitCredit: APThe defiant F1 chief joined colleagues for the test runCredit: APHe smiled as he carried on his work as usualCredit: SplashHorner’s wife Geri pictured at the Bahrain circuit last MarchCredit: AFPGeri arrived in Bahrain from the UK on Thursday – having taken off before the bombshell messages were shared, The Sun understands.But defiant Horner today looked unfazed this afternoon as he stood trackside in Bahrain for a test run ahead of tomorrow’s F1 season opener.The dad, 50, was pictured with headphones around his neck and chatting to Max Verstappen at the Bahrain International Circuit this afternoon.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.More on Christian HornerGeri has not yet been seen in the paddock, however.Earlier today, pictures showed F1 chief Horner chatting to colleagues as he sat at a table with them.Geri has been left humiliated after a vast trove of intimate texts between her husband and a female colleague were revealed just a day after he was cleared of wrongdoing.Sources close to Geri say she was “relieved and elated” when the case against her Horner was thrown out on Wednesday.Most read in MotorsportGinger Spice Geri endured three weeks of torment in which she was said to have stood by her man after being left in “floods of tears” when the scandal first broke.Now the singer has again been left “extremely humiliated” less than 24 hours after she thought Horner, who she wed in 2015, was in the clear.Inside Christian Horner’s 4-week fight for his career from 8hr grilling to Geri Halliwell’s agony…& why saga may go on 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.”Horner was also left reeling after hundreds of WhatsApp messages were sent to F1 teams and media outlets.Messages appeared to suggest Horner pestered the woman for pictures behind his wife’s back.It comes as…While there don’t appear to be any explicit images in the messages, some of the texts are sexually suggestive in nature.The move was also calculated to cause maximum damage to Red Bull Racing boss Horner’s career – just 24 hours before the start of the new Grand Prix season in Bahrain.After the messages were leaked yesterday, Horner again denied accusations made against him.He said: “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.”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.

      Messages appear to indicate he engaged in a secret flirty chat with a female staffer while other texts discuss a solo sex act in an aircraft toilet.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.It was later claimed that the barrister-led inquiry into the team boss was into “controlling and coercive” behaviour towards the woman.There is no suggestion that any pictures featuring sexual content are included in the WhatApps leaked so far.A huge file of the messages was sent to a list of team bosses and senior F1 figures yesterday which reads like a Who’s Who of the F1 paddock.Media sources certain to lift the lid on the scandal were also cc’d on an email under the subject “Christian Horner investigation evidence.”Pictures of the same messages – some including Geri’s name – quickly began spreading on X – formerly known as Twitter.READ MORE SUN STORIESHorner landed in Bahrain on Wednesday evening minutes before Red Bull confirmed he would remain at the team’s helm.It remained unclear whether Geri had been shown any of the messages prior to their distribution.Horner pictured with wife Geri Halliwell last yearCredit: GettyChristian Horner pictured earlier today before the practice at the circuitCredit: PAThe team chief chatting to colleagues at Bahrain International CircuitCredit: PAThe embattled F1 chief folded his arms as he sat with teammatesCredit: PAThe F1 boss is at the final testing practice in Bahrain before tomorrow’s F1 season openerCredit: PAHorner was seen hugging Verstappen in BahrainCredit: GettyA 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