Christian Horner’s sexting accuser has been dramatically suspended by Red Bull, it emerged today – as the F1 boss broke cover in Saudi Arabia without his wife Geri Halliwell ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix.
The woman member of staff accused the Red Bull team principal of ‘coercive behaviour’ – a claim he was cleared of in an internal inquiry conducted by the team’s parent company in Salzburg last Wednesday.
Mail Sport understands the decision to suspend her from her duties at the factory in Milton Keynes is a direct result of the findings of the investigation. The unnamed employee was still in work as late as this week.
A spokesman for Red Bull said: ‘We are unable to comment on an internal employee matter.’
The inquiry heard 60 hours of evidence and culminated in a 150-page report by a London QC. Horner, the 50-year-old husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, is in Saudi Arabia for this weekend’s grand prix and will face the press later today.
He has vowed to continue in £8million-a-year job despite an email coming to light last week detailing intimate exchanges purportedly between him and the woman concerned.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was seen in Jeddah ahead of the Saudi Grand Prix
The beleaguered Red Bull boss has been fighting for his job this month amid a texting scandal
Horner and Geri Halliwell hold hands in a public display of unity at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday
She can still appeal the outcome of the inquiry. The window to do so extends five days from when the official legal letters were served to both parties, which is believed to have been on either Monday or Tuesday of this week.
Last week, in anticipation of the letters, Red Bull’s GmbH issued a statement saying: ‘The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.
‘The complainant has a right of appeal. 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.’
Today’s shock move comes after Halliwell reportedly demanded her husband cuts ties with the female colleague and wants the woman ‘out of the picture’.
She mounted an awkward show of support for her beleaguered husband at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, with the couple kissing and hugging in front of the cameras before Max Verstappen claimed victory for Red Bull.
It also follows claims in The Times the female colleague had been given until yesterday to file an appeal against the decision to clear Horner of controlling behaviour.
The pair have continued to work together since the scandal broke, with insiders reportedly saying the ‘status quo’ could not continue and either the woman or Horner would have to leave.
Today, the Red Bull team principal was spotted deep in talks with a colleague in Saudi Arabia’s capital city Jeddah, as he faces growing pressure over his position.
Horner has been publicly criticised by star driver Max Verstappen’s dad Jos – with the pair seen rowing with each other last week.
While Ginger Spice may have stood by her husband in a show of solidarity this weekend, insiders said the pop star wanted the female employee ‘out of the picture’.
A source previously told The Sun: ‘Although she smiled for the cameras at the Grand Prix, Geri has laid down some strict ground rules.
‘One is that Christian cuts or reduces contact with the woman — but that is difficult because of her role at Red Bull.
‘And she has definitely had her say over what messages he sends. For obvious reasons, Geri would like the female colleague — who she knew before her appointment — to be out of the picture as much as possible.’
The source added that Red Bull cannot sack the woman because there are no grounds to do so.
An F1 insider also told the publication that Halliwell, who shares a son, seven-year-old Monty, with Horner, had shown ‘nothing but support’ to her husband but is unlikely to be at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix next weekend because she is ‘incredibly busy’.
The former Spice Girl celebrates with Horner after Red Bull secured a memorable one-two finish in Bahrain
Halliwell kisses her husband before the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon
Horner is facing calls to quit his role and has been accused by Verstappen’s father, Jos, of ‘driving the team apart’.
Verstappen Snr, who manages his world champion son Max, told Mail Sport in Bahrain: ‘There is tension here while he remains in position.
‘The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.’
In further comments to The Telegraph, he said: ‘It cannot continue this way. The situation is not good for the team and is driving people apart.’
But a spokesman for Red Bull said: ‘There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.’
Ralf Schumacher, younger brother of seven-time F1 champion Michael, has claimed either Horner or Max Verstappen must leave Red Bull in the wake of the scandal.
‘If Christian Horner holds on to his seat with all his might,’ Schumacher, the brother of F1 legend Michael told Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung.
‘He will not only damage Red Bull, he will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team.’
Horner, meanwhile, has said he ‘absolutely’ expects to remain in charge at Red Bull for next week’s Grand Prix.
Horner stands behind his wife as Red Bull celebrate taking first and second place in the inaugural race of the season
Max Verstappen celebrates winning the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday
The Red Bull chief told Sky Sports he ‘wouldn’t be here otherwise’ if he thought he was about to lose control of the F1 team.
He said: ‘We have got tremendous support, tremendous partners and great shareholders behind us as well.
‘You don’t achieve this kind of result by not being united.’
Asked if he still expects to be in charge by the time next week’s race kicks off in Jeddah, he said: ‘Yes, absolutely. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.’
Before the race Horner and his wife, who he has been married to since 2015, had been spotted in a public display of unity.
Horner had slipped out of the back of Red Bull’s hospitality suite through a gate to meet her as she arrived at the main entrance of the paddock.
They then held hands as they walked through the paddock to Red Bull’s hospitality suite. During the short walk they were mobbed by photographers and TV crews.
The couple were all smiles at lunch where they were later joined by Red Bull’s head of communication and former F1 team principal Flavio Briatore and Red Bull’s majority shareholder, and Horner ally, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya.
Horner headed for the race grid about 45 minutes before the 3pm start, giving Geri a kiss as he left.
Sources reportedly said the former Spice Girls singer is ‘furious’ with her husband, but has not ‘gone nuclear’.
After they kissed on camera, Halliwell seemed to look directly at photographers
Race winner Max Verstappen and Christian Horner celebrate after winning the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain
Geri Halliwell celebrates in Bahrain after Red Bull claimed a one-two victory after a difficult couple of weeks
Christian Horner was spotted chatting to former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson in Bahrain
Friends of Halliwell previously told the publication she had ‘read him the riot act’ over the situation.
Horner, who has always denied the claims, said previously: ‘I have the support of an incredible family, an incredible wife, an incredible team and everybody within that team.
‘And my focus is going on racing, winning racing and doing the best I can.
‘It was a day about starting the season in the best possible way. My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing.’
The WhatsApp messages were sent from an anonymous email account to 149 members of the F1 paddock – including the president of the sport’s governing body Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and the grid’s nine other team principals, as well as members of the media.
The bombshell email contained 79 documents, including hundreds of messages, many of them of a sexual nature.
Horner continues to operate in his role as team principal and chief executive, although it is understood there is considerable unease among the team’s plethora of sponsors and partners.
He spoke only once about the latest allegations as he made his way from Red Bull’s hospitality suite to the team’s garage on Friday.
‘I am not going to comment on anonymous speculation from unknown sources,’ he said.
When asked what comes next, Horner replied: ‘We go racing.’