Christian Horner’s accuser hits again amid ‘leaked texts’ scandal

The feminine worker who has accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour feels ‘very sad’ at Red Bull’s choice to clear him of inappropriate behaviour and believes its investigation was ‘one-sided’, a supply near her mentioned right this moment. 

Geri Halliwell‘s husband, 50, was cleared to proceed as Red Bull workforce principal on Wednesday following an inner probe into claims of ‘coercive behaviour’, which he has at all times denied. 

But simply 24 hours later, texts apparently exchanged between him and the complainant have been despatched from an nameless electronic mail to 149 F1 figures – main associates to warn that his marriage to Geri was ‘in query for the primary time’. 

Today, a supply near the girl determined to talk out publicly for the primary time in regards to the case as a result of they really feel the complainant has been unfairly handled.

Speaking to MailOn-line, the relative mentioned: ‘My response to all that is that it’s disgusting. In the phrases of Red Bull, Christian Horner has been cleared however I believe many individuals have a look at that reply and may’t fairly fathom out the reality behind it.

‘It’s clearly not going to relaxation now due to these leaks. I wasn’t conscious of the messages previous to them being picked up by the media and I do not know in any respect who’s answerable for the leak.

‘You at all times consider your personal, do not you? I have not learn the textual content messages however there was by no means any relationship between her and Christian – God, no. She does not talk about that form of stuff with us. 

‘If you’re employed for an individual like him, you reside with many items of data that aren’t to be disclosed. She definitely hasn’t spoken to me about it.’

The supply went on: ‘We converse day-after-day and she or he’s very sad – in fact. In her mind-set it is all very one-sided and she or he’s been crucified.

‘Are the Red Bull investigation workforce impartial? Who is aware of? They’ve made comparisons within the newspapers about Christian being grilled for 12 hours or so…properly what number of hours was she grilled for? They do not ask that query, however it’s much more than that.’

It’s understood the girl continues to be working for Red Bull – a ‘job she loves’ – however she has remained at residence within the UK and never travelled to the Middle East with Horner and different Red Bull staff for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Halliwell touched down in Bahrain final evening and is alleged to have gone ‘into meltdown’ over the messages.  

The Spice Girl, who flew over on property billionaire Tony Gallagher’s airplane for the beginning of the Bahrain Grand Prix tomorrow, has not but been seen within the paddock. 

As it stands, Geri is planning to be at Saturday’s grand prix in a public present of solidarity. The plan is that she can be at Horner’s facet on the pre-race grid, alongside his main ally on the Red Bull board, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya, who owns 51 per cent of the power drinks firm. 

One insider instructed Mail Sport: ‘She took off earlier than the e-mail landed. I do not know whether or not she can be on the race however it will likely be mayhem if she is.

‘It could be nuts. She might even be flying residence.’

As she arrived, her husband has pulled from the pit wall into a gathering with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. 

The couple had breathed a collective sigh of aid on Wednesday when Red Bull cleared Horner of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour allegations following a probe into his alleged relationship with the worker.

But on Thursday, a collection of WhatsApp texts and images have been launched to dozens of journalists and key figures in sport, throwing the scandal again into the general public into the highlight as soon as once more.

Horner vowed to battle on inside hours of the scandal deepening, and was right this moment pictured in his Red Bull gear forward of follow for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which begins tomorrow. 

It comes as associates near Halliwell, who stood by her husband of 9 years resolutely all through the interior probe, revealed she is ‘having the meltdown to finish all meltdowns over the leaks’.

The mother-of-two has been left ‘feeling humiliated’ after the messages have been unfold ‘so broadly on the market’, a buddy added.

Hundreds of intimate WhatsApp exchanges purportedly between Horner and the colleague have been launched by way of an nameless electronic mail account.

Horner was solely cleared by Red Bull’s Salzburg-based father or mother firm – and instructed he might keep on as workforce principal of the world-championship on a £8million-a-year-salary – 24 hours earlier than the texts dropped.

Halliwell had instructed associates that she was ‘relieved and elated’ that the claims towards her accomplice, with whom she shares seven-year-old son Monty, had lastly been dropped.

Friends of the Spice Girl instructed the Mail she thought the scandal had ‘lastly gone away’ however have warned the looks of the intimate messages – to which there are 79 screenshots – might ‘destroy’ her.

One mentioned: ‘All alongside Christian promised there was nothing in it.’

Another mentioned he now fears for the way the star, who has been left mortified on the embarrassing fall out, will have the ability to comprehend such a public humiliation.

He mentioned: ‘Geri has been residing on this pleased, pleased bubble for therefore a few years now, she thought she had her prince and her knight in shining armour however now this.

‘She thought that it had all gone away, she was delighted and over the moon when she discovered Christian had been cleared.

‘Geri was pilloried when she obtained along with Christian as a result of he had simply had one other child with one other lady however she has labored exhausting to rid that picture of herself and Christian, and specifically that she is a homewrecker.

‘Now it has all come crashing down. The tears stopped when the judgment got here in on Wednesday, now they completely could have began once more. 

‘This will destroy her. All alongside Christian promised there was nothing in it.’

One supply near the star mentioned that she ‘wasn’t certain what to consider’ all through the saga however was decided to get by means of it with their marriage unscathed.

‘Geri is not any fish spouse however she lastly obtained the person she needed and she or he will not need to let him go. This might find yourself being an enormous dilemma for her,’ the supply mentioned.

The tranche of messages have been despatched to FIA president Mohammad Ben Sulayem and F1 chief govt Stefano Domenicali. All the workforce principals have been copied in, together with star driver Max Verstappen’s father Jos.

Earlier this month Halliwell had briefly unfollowed world champion Verstappen on Instagram after the allegations towards Horner first got here to gentle. Sources near the star mentioned final evening that this was an ’emotional response’ which she thought would go unnoticed.

Reigning world champion Verstappen was quizzed forward of the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday over whether or not Red Bull’s probe into Horner had impacted or altered the workforce’s preparations for the season.

The Dutchman, insisting that his focus has not been altered, replied: ‘It does not. I’m very centered on simply the efficiency of the automotive and myself.

‘Hopefully it will likely be resolved very quickly. It’s a complete workforce effort that everybody has to stay collectively and work to extra success, in order that’s why it is essential to get every thing resolved very quickly.

‘(Horner) is essential in any other case he would not have been in that place for such a very long time.’

The intense highlight on Horner in current weeks had already began to take a pressure on the couple’s residence life – which they break up between their farmhouse, and stables, in Oxfordshire and a house in North London. 

A supply near the pair mentioned final evening the previous few weeks had been ‘hell for Christian and his household’ and he had at all times branded the claims as being ‘nuts’.

‘Geri is devastated and has been struggling to eat and sleep. Her household and fellow Spice Girls are nervous about her,’ the supply mentioned final week forward of Horner being cleared.

‘I hear Christian is making an attempt to pep her as much as keep optimistic, however she has gone to floor in the best way she did after she left the Spice Girls. She’s not talking to anybody.’ 

Shortly after the leak yesterday, Horner launched an announcement which learn: ‘I cannot touch upon nameless hypothesis, however to reiterate I’ve at all times denied the allegations.

‘I revered the integrity of the impartial investigation and absolutely cooperated with it each step of the best way. 

‘It was an intensive and honest investigation performed by an impartial specialist barrister, and it has concluded dismissing the criticism made. I stay absolutely centered on the beginning of the season.’

Announcing its conclusion on Wednesday, the corporate mentioned: ‘The impartial investigation into the allegations made towards Mr Horner is full, and Red Bull can affirm that the grievance has been dismissed. 

The complainant has a proper of attraction. Red Bull is assured that the investigation has been honest, rigorous and neutral. ‘

Horner, who has gained 13 world championships since heading the workforce as a 31-year-old in 2005, had beforehand thanked his ‘very supportive spouse’ for her backing throughout the accusations.

Halliwell and Horner combined in social circles earlier than they struck up a romance, having first met one another on the Monaco Grand Prix in 2009.

‘[Geri] was a visitor of [former CEO of the Formula One Group] Bernie Ecclestone’s in Monaco one yr and got here down the pit lane,’ Horner beforehand instructed The Telegraph. ‘I bear in mind [McLaren boss] Ron Dennis was standing subsequent to me and Eddie Jordan was there as properly.

‘She gave Ron a kiss on the cheek, and she or he gave Eddie a kiss on the cheek. So I assumed, ‘OK, I’m on for a kiss on the cheek right here!’ And I went to provide her one and she or he shoved her hand out at me.’

Their relationship, nonetheless, obtained off to a rocky begin, coming underneath fireplace after the Red Bull chief left his long-term accomplice Beverley Allen six months after she gave beginning to their daughter Olivia.

While the couple took a brief break to see if Horner might rescue his relationship with the mom of his little one, simply 9 months later he introduced his engagement to Ginger Spice in an commercial within the The Times in 2014.

It mentioned: ‘The engagement is introduced between Christian, son of Mr and Mrs G.M. Horner and Geraldine, daughter of the late Mr L.F. Halliwell and Mrs A Parkinson.’

The former Spice Girl and Red Bull boss tied the knot at St Mary’s Church in Woburn, Bedfordshire, in 2015.

Halliwell’s A-line lace bridal robe was designed by British designer Phillipa Lepley.

Her nine-year-old daughter, Bluebell, whom she had with screenwriter Sacha Gervasi in 2005, additionally attended the marriage.

Guests included Geri’s former Spice Girls co-star Emma Bunton, radio presenter and singer Myleene Klass, and TV presenter Amanda Holden.

Christian’s dad and mom have been reportedly left devastated when the sporting skilled left Ms Allen to be with the chart-topping star and subsequently selected to not see the duo tie the knot.

A supply near the couple beforehand mentioned: ‘Geri and Christian are disenchanted that his dad and mom aren’t coming.’

Horner has gained 13 world championships since heading the workforce as a 31-year-old in 2005. He was then the youngest workforce principal on the grid, but is now its longest-serving.