Dressed in her signature white dress, Geri Halliwell plastered on a smile and walked hand-in-hand with her husband, embattled Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2.
The show of solidarity – which included a kiss in view of cameras – came a day after a cache of messages reported to Red Bull’s recent misconduct inquiry into Horner’s alleged “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” towards a female colleague was publicly leaked.
The Google drive containing 79 separate documents was sent from an anonymous source to the Formula 1 chiefs and team principals as well as members of the media.
“Geri is heartbroken and feels utterly humiliated. She trusted him when he tried to play down the scandal,” a source told The Sun of the former Spice Girl, who reportedly learned of the leak while still in the air on a private plane.
“He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriage.”
Horner, who married Halliwell in 2015, had denied any wrongdoing after news of an internal investigation first went public on February 5. Speaking with Sky News, he said his wife, who is reportedly friendly with the woman who made the complaint, had been “supportive” amid the accusations.
However, sources told The Sun that Halliwell, 51, was finding it tough behind the scenes.
“Geri is devastated and has been struggling to eat and sleep,” said the insider. “Her family and fellow Spice Girls are worried.”
Weeks later, Horner, 50, was cleared by Red Bull GmbH.
“I’m just pleased that the process is over,” Horner told reporters on Feb. 29. “The team has never been stronger.”
It seemed that his marriage had also weathered the storm.
“This has been weeks of hell for Christian and his family,” a close source told The Sun. “Geri has been rock-solid behind Christian, and his whole family is relieved and elated that it’s over.”
Not so fast. As the second practice was underway for the Bahrain Grand Prix, an email titled “Christian Horner investigation evidence” was sent to nearly 200 people in the F1 paddock.
The unverified message allegedly contained 79 screengrabs of WhatsApp messages between both Horner and the female complainant.
Among them were conversations that appeared to suggest that Horner asked the woman for photos and engaged in flirtatious banter, including asking what she was wearing, commenting on her Spanx and confessing she made him feel “out of control” on a private plane to Dubai.
Texts also suggest that Horner, who shares son Monty, 7, with Halliwell, became apologetic after realising he had caused offence and asked the woman to delete their chat history.
“I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” Horner stressed following the leak. “I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way.”
Horner, whose star has risen thanks to Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive, has been the Red Bull team principal since they entered the sport 19 years ago, winning seven F1 world drivers’ championships and six world constructors’ titles along the way.
Professionally anyway, he started the 2024 season on top, watching Red Bull driver Max Verstappen race to victory in Bahrain ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in second.
“My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing,” he told reporters after the victory, which scored him another kiss from his wife in front of the cameras.
There could be no winning for Halliwell, who is said to be humiliated by the scandal.
“Geri has been living in this happy, happy bubble for so many years now, she thought that she had her prince and her knight in shining armour but now this,” a source told Daily Mail. “She was delighted and over the moon when she learned Christian had been cleared. Now it has all come crashing down… This will destroy her.”
“Although she smiled for the cameras at the grand prix, Geri has laid down some strict ground rules,” a source told The Sun. “One is that Christian cuts or reduces contact with the woman — but that is difficult because of her role at Red Bull.”
Looking ahead, a second source tells the outlet that the road looks rocky.
“There are questions about her future with him,” said the insider. “It’s uncertain whether their marriage will survive but she is giving it a good chance by showing him support, at least in public.
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