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      Moment Christian Horner leads top secret Red Bull F1 test as he awaits decision on ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe

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      RED Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has been spotted leading a top secret F1 test as he awaits a decision on “inappropriate behaviour” probe.Horner was seen smiling and laughing with the team at Silverstone where Red Bull’s new car soared around the iconic British track.
      Christian Horner was all smiles at the Red Bull event at Silverstone
      The Reb Bull team around Horner looking at footage from the day
      Horner has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by a former female stafferCredit: Getty
      Christian Horner pictured at Silverstone for a shakedown before the official car launch
      Horner, 50, has been battling to rescue his career during an eight-hour grilling last Friday after he was accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by a former female staffer.
      The results of the crunch talks have not been made public – meaning Horner’s future at Red Bull still hangs in the balance.
      But the team boss – who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – stuck to his work commitments and was at Silverstone for the shakedown for the new RB20 car as planned.
      F1 teams are allowed two filming days to capture content of their cars on track – and it also offers the potential to run the car for the first time.
      Read more on Horner
      Horner was surrounded by his fellow Red Bull team in the video as they all stood outside of the garage in the misreable, pouring rain.
      Both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez got their first taste of this season’s challenger – with the Dutchman looking to defend his world drivers’ title.
      He is also scheduled to be at the season launch event on Thursday at their Milton Keynes HQ.
      F1 was rocked by the news that the sport’s longest-standing team principal had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
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      It allegedly compiled a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one woman, The Telegraph reported.
      Horner has reportedly referred to the allegations as “nuts” and said publicly: “I completely deny these claims.”
      Horner was reportedly urged to resign by Bernie Ecclestone after the allegations came to light.
      The 93-year-old billionaire former chief of F1 allegedly got involved and advised Horner to step down as Red Bull team principal.
      And F1 insiders do not “expect him to survive in his role”, according to BBC Sport.
      Geri Halliwell ‘leaning on Victoria Beckham’s support’ amid ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe into hubby Christian Horner
      The investigation also raises the question of who could take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of Verstappen.
      But an F1 source told The Sun that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
      They also revealed the investigation is nowhere near it’s end – with it potentially dragging into the new F1 season.
      The insider said: “This is not a trial and we are not going to have an answer and an outcome by the end of the day.
      “This is not something that is going to be rectified that quickly.
      “People are expecting this to be over before the start of the F1 season, but that just isn’t going to happen.”
      The Red Bull Racing boss, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, was quizzed by an independent barrister in a private location late into the afternoon on Friday.
      Horner forced a smile as he was picked up in a chauffeur-driven car from his North London home ahead of the critical hearing.
      The probe threatens to overshadow the start of the new F1 season — with the first practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place on February 29.
      His Spice Girl wife Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by her husband, who she married in 2015.
      She has told pals: “Christian has done nothing wrong.”

      It comes as…

      Horner is said to have privately vowed to his friends he will “clear his name and come through this,” a source told the Daily Mail.
      However, the scandal engulfing her husband has blown a “Grand Canyon-sized crack” right in the middle of her “super-perfect, super-posh life,” another source claimed.
      Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
      Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world ­constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
      Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
      Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motor sport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
      Ahead of the probe into Horner’s conduct, there were reports of an unrelated internal power struggle waging within Red Bull.
      Rumours of issues between the team’s leadership have swirled since the death of billionaire co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022 and the team drafted a new board of directors.
      Former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was appointed chief executive.
      Despite Red Bull enjoying its most successful season in F1 history in 2023, there was speculation of a rift between Horner and Helmut Marko – Red Bull GmBH’s motorsport advisor.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Rumours even went as far as to suggest Horner was determined to get rid of Marko, 80, from the team.
      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

      Horner (centre) pictured with Red Bull Racing teamCredit: Getty
      Horner pictured with Spice Girl wife Geri HalliwellCredit: PA
      Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner at the Monaco F1 in May, 2023Credit: Getty
      Horner pictured with world champion Max VerstappenCredit: Getty More

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      Daniel Ricciardo breaks silence on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari switch with F1 icon coy over ‘silly season’ Mercedes gossip

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      DANIEL RICCIARDO has refused to be distracted by the “silly season” gossip linking him with a move to Mercedes.The Australian has been tipped as one of the potential names to take Lewis Hamilton’s seat in 2025.
      Daniel Ricciardo is remaining coy over ‘silly season’ gossip linking him with MercedesCredit: Getty
      He has been tipped as a potential replacement when Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari in 2025Credit: AFP
      Seven-time world champion Hamilton is entering his final season with Mercedes after agreeing to join Ferrari next year.
      Meanwhile, Ricciardo will drive for Visa Cash App RB, formerly AlphaTauri, in 2024.
      He returned to the grid in July after replacing Nyck de Vries at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
      Asked about his interest in replacing Hamilton at Mercedes this week, Ricciardo explained: “I’m definitely not looking that far ahead.
      READ MORE F1 NEWS
      “At this part of my career, looking ahead feels a bit like a year closer to the end. So it’s more reason for me to be there now and really take it race by race.
      “I guess in their (Mercedes’) position, they are in no rush. So they will judge everyone, how they are doing, the driver market, whatever. So I think this is a good position for them.
      “Part of me is also happy not to be involved in all this crazy stuff, especially this early in the season. So if the silly season happens without me, that’s fine with me at this point.”
      The 34-year-old has also been linked with a possible return to Red Bull.
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      WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

      His former team could be looking for a new team-mate for Max Verstappen at the end of the year, with Sergio Perez under pressure to perform.
      Ricciardo has claimed eight wins and 32 podiums from his 239 F1 starts.
      The richest Wags in F1 revealed with some earning thousands from Instagram
      His last race victory came for McLaren at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
      The 2024 season is set to get underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir on March 2.

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

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      Geri Halliwell ‘leaning on Victoria Beckham’s support’ amid ‘inappropriate behaviour’ probe into hubby Christian Horner

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      GERI Halliwell is “being supported by” Victoria Beckham while husband Christian Horner is investigated for “inappropriate behaviour”.The former Spice Girl was said to be “in floods of tears” when it was revealed her Red Bull chief husband had become the focus of a probe.
      Geri, far left, pictured with Victoria Beckham, second from left, and their former Spice Girl bandmatesCredit: Getty
      Geri with husband Christian Horner at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco in May 2023Credit: Getty
      F1 boss Horner, 50,  battled to rescue his career during an eight-hour D-Day grilling last Friday following the complaints of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” by a female colleague.
      Wife Geri, 51, is understood to be standing by him, telling pals she does not believe gossip that has been swirling for days.
      A source close to the Ginger Spice star said earlier this month: “Geri has been in floods of tears all weekend while looking after her kids.
      “She is insisting Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      More on Christian Horner
      An insider has now revealed how Geri – who married Horner in 2015 -has been “leaning on” former fellow bandmate Victoria Beckham for support.
      A source told OK!: “They always got on well and have been there for each other through the difficult times.
      “When Geri was having a bit of a stormy relationship with some of the other Spice Girls, Victoria supported her and helped her through.
      “It’s the same now – Victoria wants to support Geri any way she can.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      Both Geri and Posh Spice, 49, have homes in the Cotswolds – and have previously helped each other through tough times.
      The insider added: “Victoria and David have had some really low points together as a couple and Geri was there for her.
      Geri Horner transforms into White Spice as she ditches colourful clothes in favour of ‘ladylike’ white outfits
      “She’s never forgotten how good Geri was with all the Rebecca Loos stuff, and the horrible treatment of David after the World Cup.
      “Now she knows it’s her time to be there for Geri, and she wants to look after her and help her.”
      The results of Horner’s crunch talks on Friday have still not been made public – meaning his future at Red Bull still hangs in the balance.
      However, F1 insiders do not “expect him to survive in his role” at the team, following the pending investigation, BBC Sport reports.
      It raises the question of who would take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of world champion Max Verstappen.
      F1 was rocked this month by the sudden news that the sport’s longest-standing team principal had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
      Geri & Victoria’s friendshipVICTORIA Beckham is supporting her former bandmate Geri Halliwell – but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the friends.
      March 1994 – Geri and Victoria are selected to form girl group Touch – later becoming Spice Girls
      May 26, 1998 – Geri walks out halfway through Spice Girls tour
      May 31, 1998 – Geri announces she’s leaving Spice Girls due to differences between the group
      July 1999 – Geri does not go to Victoria and David Beckham’s wedding amid claims she was not invited – later denied by Victoria
      2004 – Geri supports Victoria after Rebecca Loos claims she had an affair with David
      August 2012 – Geri performs with former bandmates at the London Olympics
      May 2015 – Victoria misses Geri’s wedding but sends her congratulations via social media
      2019 – Geri is absent from the Spice World reunion tour

      It has allegedly compiled a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one female staffer, The Telegraph reported.
      Horner has reportedly referred to the allegations as “nuts” and said publicly: “I completely deny these claims.”
      The Red Bull Racing boss, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, was quizzed by an independent barrister in a private location late into the afternoon on Friday.
      Horner forced a smile as he was picked up in a chauffeur-driven car from his North London home ahead of the critical hearing.
      But an F1 source told The Sun last week that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
      They also revealed the investigation is nowhere near its end – with it potentially dragging into the new F1 season.
      Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world ­constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
      Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motorsport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
      Geri and Victoria performing in California in 2007Credit: Rex Features
      Geri and Victoria pictured at the Four Seasons Hotel in 1997 in Kuta, Bali, IndonesiaCredit: Getty – Contributor
      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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      Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael, reveals he’s ‘perfect match’ for Mercedes as he targets Lewis Hamilton’s seat

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      MICK SCHUMACHER has put himself forward as the perfect candidate to fill in Lewis Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes.The seven-time World Champion recently dropped a bombshell that he will be departing the Silver Arrows at the end of the upcoming season.
      Mick Schumacher has put himself forward as the perfect ‘match’ to succeed Lewis Hamilton at MercedesCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton has announced he will move to Ferrari at the end of the upcoming seasonCredit: Getty
      As the new F1 season approaches son legend Michael Schumacher, Mick has thrown his name into the hat of drivers ready to take over Hamilton’s spot.
      The 24-year-old has raced in F1 for two years with Haas but lost his seat at the end of 2022.
      Last season he spent the year on the sidelines at Mercedes as a reserve driver and will continue that role this term alongside his endurance racing.
      But in 2025 when Hamilton heads off to Ferrari Schumacher thinks he is the right “match” to succeed the Brit.
      READ MORE IN F1
      He said: “It is of course a position that brings a lot of pressure.
      “But in terms of feeling, I’m a match for the team. But it’s not my decision. My chance is here.”
      Schumacher’s is hoping to follow the footsteps of his father Michael who competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
      Schumacher has a joint-record of seven World Drivers Championship titles – tied with Lewis Hamilton.
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      And at the time of his retirement in 2012 he had the record of most wins (91) which has since been broken by Hamilton.
      Meanwhile, Mick has signed to Alpine’s hypercar programme and is competing at the World Endurance Championship (WEC) – he is also taking part in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans .
      Lewis Hamilton ‘in advanced talks’ to join Ferrari as shock clause in Mercedes star’s contract emerges
      And a good performance in the WEC could persuade Mercedes to pick the German driver.
      But it is still completely unclear who will take over Hamilton’s cockpit.
      Alongside Schumacher, early front-runners for the Mercedes seat include Alex Albon, who has drawn the attention of many top teams with his performances for Williams.
      Also Alpine racer Esteban Ocon is another candidate to take on the role at the German garage. More

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      F1 fans convinced they’ve worked out who will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes after spotting breakfast photo

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      FORMULA ONE fans are convinced Fernando Alonso will join Mercedes after his manager was spotted at breakfast with chief Toto Wolff.Lewis Hamilton will depart the Silver Arrows at the end of the upcoming season to join rivals Ferrari at the start of 2025.
      Fernando Alonso’s manager Flavio Briatore was spotted with Toto Wolff at breakfastCredit: Instagram / @briatoreflavio
      F1 fans think the meeting means Alonso will join MercedesCredit: Splash
      Lewis Hamilton announced he will leave Mercedes at the end of next season to join FerrariCredit: AP
      The seven-time world champion, Hamilton recently dropped the bombshell that the secret clause in his contract to sign the £100million deal with Ferrari has been triggered.
      This leaves one of the best seats in F1 open for the taking.
      And a pic of Alonso’s manager Flavio Briatore with Mercedes boss Wolff on Instagram at Pasticceria Cova Montecarlo pastry shop in Monaco on Monday has got fans speculating.
      One fan said: “They are up to something. Fernando’s name is the center of the conversation.”
      READ MORE ON F1
      While another added: “Fernando to Mercedes 🙂.”
      A third then put: “FLAVIO NOOO.”
      Alonso, 42, might be two-time world champion but he has not won a race since the 2013 season.
      He’s flying at the moment though, finishing fourth in the championship after eight podium finishes.
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      His contract with Aston Martin expires this year and he seems to rate his chances for a shot elsewhere, saying: “I know that I am attractive to other teams. 
      “Let’s see what the options are. I am aware of my situation which is very unique. 
      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s £13m collection of supercars including £4m classic and £1.6m ride made entirely for him
      “On a move to Mercedes, there has been nothing at all. 
      “I know the driver market has started earlier this year, but this will not affect me in terms of preparing for the season.
      “If I want to keep racing beyond this year, the first and only talk at the beginning will be Aston Martin. 
      “I trust this project and that will be my first priority.”
      The new F1 season is set to get underway with pre-season testing taking place in Bahrain on February 21 as teams prepare to show off their new liveries for the first time.
      The first race of the term will begin on March 2 in the West Asian country. More

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      Michael Schumacher health update as ex-racer pal reveals it’s ‘not possible’ legend will be seen in F1 paddock again

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      A FORMER racing opponent of Michael Schumacher has opened up about how a return to F1 would “not be possible” for the stricken star.Ex-Benetton driver Giancarlo Fisichella said Schumacher, 55, could have gone on to become a team principal for a top team.
      Michael Schumacher, right, shakes hands with Giancarlo Fisichella after the Canadian Grand Prix in 1997Credit: AFP
      Schumacher raises his hands from the Ferrari cockpit while Fisichella sits on top of his car after the German Grand Prix in 1997Credit: AFP
      But the F1 legend has not been seen since suffering a severe brain injury in a horror ski accident ten years ago.
      Only a select few have been allowed to see Schumacher – with his recovery has been shrouded in secrecy.
      Fisichella, 51, said one of his greatest regrets was not getting to call Schumacher his teammate as their careers overlapped.
      He told The Sun: “I think Michael was one of the best drivers in the world, he is the history of Formula One. He won seven times the championship.
      More on Schumacher
      “I sometimes tried to watch videos about his trajectory. It was a good point of reference for all of us.
      “I’m really honoured to have raced against him and, especially when sometimes I went on the podium and I shared the podium with him.
      “I’ve got great memories with him.
      “I’m a little bit disappointed because I never raced with him in as a teammate in the same team because I really respected him and I think he’s probably the best driver in the world.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      Schumacher was left in a coma for 250 days after his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow on the Combe de Saulire ski run in the exclusive French resort of Meribel.
      He catapulted forward 11.5ft and crashed into a boulder head first that split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for two life-saving operations.
      Michael Schumacher’s wife reveals F1 legend ‘shows me how strong he is every day’ in touching first look at Netflix doc
      After he woke up in June 2014, he was discharged from hospital and sent to his home in Lake Geneva to get further treatment.
      Since then his wife Corinna and his inner circle of friends have expertly avoided almost anything leaking out about his health status.
      Only small amounts of information have been released including reports that Schumacher was in a wheelchair but can react to things around him.
      Fisichella – who shared the podium with Schumacher at several Grand Prixs and speaking to us via sports betting website OLBG – said he believes the Mercedes star’s career would have flourished if it wasn’t for his accident.
      He said: “Michael was a great driver, but for sure he could be also a great manager or team principal in a top team.
      “So it’s a shame it’s not possible for him in his condition, you know.
      “He was very tough to overtake. He was a great driver, you know.”
      Italian racer Fisichella said off the circuit, Schumacher was a great friend and even played football together.
      “I think Michael was one of the best drivers in the world, he is the history of Formula OneGiancarlo Fisichella
      He added: “We had a good time together.
      “We did a lot of football games for charity together and, it was great.
      “After the, after the game, it was good to go to the restaurant together having some fun, he was a pretty great guy.”
      It comes after ex-Mercedes boss Nick Fry revealed Schumacher is receiving “the best medical treatment in human history”.
      Fry said he wouldn’t be surprised if Schuey does sit at the dinner table after reports were shared by Michael’s retired pal, Johnny Herbert.
      “I haven’t heard anything about Michael Schumacher’s condition, so I’m unable to confirm or deny any of the recent reports about him,” Fry told Online Betting Guide.
      “Michael has the best medical team in the world, and I’m 100 per cent sure that no human being in history has had the treatment Michael has had for his specific injury. The family has the resources.”
      In a glimmer of hope, it has been reported Schumacher could attend his daughter’s wedding.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Gina-Maria Schumacher, 26, and her boyfriend, Iain Bethke, 27, are set to tie the knot later this summer in a huge celebration.
      The wedding is reportedly due to take place at a luxury £27million mansion owned by the Schumacher family over in Majorca, Spain.
      Schumacher, right, sprays champagne alongside Fisichella after the Canadian Grand Prix in 1998Credit: EPA More

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      Pierre Gasly’s model girlfriend Kika Gomes wows in tiny turquoise bikini as she celebrates the F1 star’s birthday

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      MODEL Kika Gomes gets the pulses racing after celebrating her Formula One star boyfriend’s birthday.The Portuguese showed off her figure in a turquoise bikini for a Drope Clothing swimwear shoot.
      Kika Gomes stunned in this bikini after she celebrated her Formula One star boyfriend’s birthdayCredit: Capture Media Agency
      Kika is dating Alpine driver Pierre GaslyCredit: Instagram / @francisca.cgomes
      Kika and Pierre celebrate the racer’s birthdayCredit: Instagram
      Kika is dating French driver Pierre Gasly and was with him as he turned 28 last week, after they toasted her 21st last month.
      He wrote online: “I’m filled with love & joy going into the 28th season of my life!”
      Kika has been dating F1 driver Pierre since last October.
      She grew up in the fast lane with racing driver dad Gonçalo and TV host mum Maria.
      READ MORE ON KIKA GOMES
      Kika, real name Francisca, has collaborated with several beachwear brands including Calzedonia and Natura Portugal.
      Her mum Maria is a top TV presenter and model, and dad Goncalo was a racing driver.
      Gasly, 27, drives for the Alpine team now co-owned by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce.
      He is considered as one of the sport’s biggest rising stars.
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      Frenchman Gasly showed good clutch control as he hugged Kika on a holiday in Italy earlier this year, after joking she was his “lucky charm” at race weekends.
      Watch F1 drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsuonda butcher Adele song ‘Hello’ in hilarious karaoke session More

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      Christian Horner ‘urged to RESIGN from Red Bull by ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’ after 8-hour grilling on ‘behaviour’

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      RED BULL chief Christian Horner has been urged to resign by ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone following allegations made by a female staffer, F1 sources claim.Horner, 50, battled to rescue his career during an eight-hour D-Day grilling last Friday following the complaints of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour”.
      Christian Horner has reportedly been advised to step down by close confidante, Bernie EcclestoneCredit: Getty
      F1 supremo Ecclestone is pictured whispering to Horner on the grid in 2013Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The racing boss forcing a smile on route to an 8-hour grilling on Friday
      The 93-year-old billionaire former chief of F1 has allegedly now got involved and advised Horner to step down as Red Bull team principal.
      Sources told F1 Insider that Ecclestone warned his long-term friend that resigning would save him and his family from further damage caused by the fallout of the scandal.
      Ecclestone’s representatives have been reached for comment.
      The results of the crunch talks on Friday have still not been made public – meaning Horner’s future at Red Bull still hangs in the balance.
      read more on christian horner
      However, F1 insiders do not “expect him to survive in his role” at the team, following the pending investigation, BBC Sport reports.
      It raises the question of who would take over the helm of the all-conquering racing team of world champion Max Verstappen.
      F1 was rocked a week ago by the sudden news that the sport’s longest-standing team principal had been placed under investigation by Red Bull’s Austria-based parent company.
      It has allegedly compiled a “dossier of incriminating material” regarding “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” towards one female female, The Telegraph reported.
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      Horner has reportedly referred to the allegations as “nuts” and said publicly: “I completely deny these claims.”
      The Red Bull Racing boss, who has led the Austrian team since its formation in 2005, was quizzed by an independent barrister in a private location late into the afternoon on Friday.
      Horner forced a smile as he was picked up in a chauffeur-driven car from his North London home ahead of the critical hearing.
      But an F1 source told The Sun last week that “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign”.
      They also revealed the investigation is nowhere near it’s end – with it potentially dragging into the new F1 season.
      The insider said: “This is not a trial and we are not going to have an answer and an outcome by the end of the day.
      “This is not something that is going to be rectified that quickly.
      “People are expecting this to be over before the start of the F1 season, but that just isn’t going to happen.”
      The probe threatens to overshadow the start of the new F1 season — with the first practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place on February 29.
      Former racing driver Horner’s Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell, 51, is understood to be standing by her husband, who she married in 2015.
      She has told pals: “Christian has done nothing wrong.”
      Horner is said to have privately vowed to his friends he will “clear his name and come through this,” a source told the Daily Mail last week.
      “She will stand by him and be at his side just as much as she always has been. She never misses a race and that will not change.”
      However, the scandal engulfing her husband has blown a “Grand Canyon-sized crack” right in the middle of her “super-perfect, super-posh life,” another source claimed.
      Red Bull has won seven Formula One world drivers’ championships and six world ­constructors’ titles under Horner’s leadership.
      Last season, the team won 21 of the 22 races on the global F1 tour, and Verstappen, 26, won the drivers’ crown.
      Horner was awarded a CBE for services to motor sport in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List.
      Ahead of the probe into Horner’s conduct, there were reports of an unrelated internal power struggle waging within Red Bull.
      Rumours of issues between the team’s leadership have swirled since the death of billionaire co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022 and the tea drafted a new board of directors.
      Former RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff was appointed chief executive.
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      Despite Red Bull enjoying its most successful season in F1 history in 2023, there was speculation of a rift between Horner and Helmut Marko – Red Bull GmBH’s motorsport advisor.
      Rumours even went as far as to suggest Horner was determined to get rid of Marko, 80, from the team.
      Ecclestone has allegedly advised Horner to step down to avoid further damage to himself and his familyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Ecclestone is presented with a birthday cake with Horner and late racing legend Niki Lauda back in 2016Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      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

      His Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell is understood to be standing firmly by himCredit: Getty
      The 50-year-old has headed Red Bull Racing for 19 years since its formationCredit: Getty More