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Christian Horner’s future in F1 is hanging in the balance tonight after messages allegedly between the Red Bull boss and a female employee were leaked.
The 79 screenshots of messages and pictures had been emailed to key figures in the sport ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Pix and it is understood they are being discussed by the sport’s governing body. Some of them are said to be sexually suggestive.
The FIA and other team principals, including Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and McLaren’s Zak Brown, as well as journalists, were among the recipients of the email sent by an anonymous person on Thursday.
The 50-year-old had been officially cleared the day before by Red Bull following an investigation into claims of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleague, much to the relief of Horner – who had vehemently denied them – and his family.
Red Bull GmbH, which is the parent company of Red Bull Racing, had said the probe was fair, rigorous and impartial’ and added that the subsequent report – believed to be 150 pages long – was ‘confidential’.
It is understood that no one at the FIA or Liberty Media, which owns Formula One, have seen the report in question and that only the leaked messages have been brought to their attention, the BBC reports.
But now there are calls for ‘more transparency’ from rival team bosses, with Wolff saying the sport ‘cannot afford to leave things in the vague and in the opaque on critical topics like this’.
Christian Horner’s future at Red Bull is hanging in the balance after messages allegedly between the Red Bull boss and a female employee were leaked. Pictured: Horner speaks on the phone at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday
Horner was cleared on Wednesday of allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female employee following a Red Bull internal investigation. Pictured: Horner with his wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell
The investigation, which Red Bull has said the report into the probe is ‘confidential’, has sparked calls for it to be released from rival bosses. Pictured: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff who has called for ‘transparency’
Other Formula One team bosses were copied into an email which claimed to show messages between the female employee and Horner. Pictured: McLaren boss Zak Brown
Horner, who is the husband of former Spice Girl Gerri Halliwell, had been cleared to stay on as team principal of the world-championship winning team on a salary of £8million a year.
The leak, apparently containing hundreds of WhatsApp messages, was sent to leading F1 figures, including FIA president Mohammad Ben Sulayem and F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.Â
All the team principals were also copied in, along with star driver Max Verstappen’s father, Jos.
The Times reports it was sent from an email account named Feb Twenty Ninth using a Google Drive link at 6.14pm Bahrain time.Â
The subject line was titled ‘Christian Horner investigation evidence’, although it is not clear if the purported messages within had been shown to Red Bull’s investigating team or where they have come from.
Alongside the screenshots were the words: ‘Following Red Bull’s recent investigation and statements you will be interested to see the materials attached.’
MailOnline cannot disclose any further details of the leak for legal reasons.
Shortly after the messages and photographs were leaked, Horner said in a statement: ‘I will not 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.
‘I remain fully focused on the start of the season.’
Christian Horner was cleared of ‘coercive behaviour towards female employee’ on Wednesday. Pictured: Horner during first practice ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix
Red Bull launched the probe on Horner, husband of ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, on February 5. Pictured: The couple at the Monaco Grand Prix in May 2023
Alleged text messages 50-year-old Horner sent to the female employee have been leaked. Pictured: Horner speaking on the phone on the deck of the Red Bull hospitality suite in Bahrain on ThursdayÂ
Throughout the probe, he had maintained his innocence and insisted he was going nowhere. Pictured: Horner arriving at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday
Former popstar Geri (left) had been devastated by the jolt to their lives caused by the claims. Pictured: The couple in Las Vegas in November 2023
Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, was among those who received the email showing the alleged messages on Thursday. Pictured: Max Verstappen in Bahrain ahead of this weekends Grand Prix
However, before the leak there were questions from rival team bosses about the transparency of the investigation and calls for the initial report to be released.
Toto Wolff, team principal at Mercedes, told the media: ‘I just read the statement, which was pretty basic. 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 in the vague and in the opaque on critical topics like this, because this is going to catch us out.’
McLaren CEO Zak Brown agreed with his Mercedes counterpart.
‘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,’ said the American.
‘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 world champion team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, who launched the probe on February 5, said on Wednesday: ‘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.’
Horner, who has protested his innocence throughout, was questioned by a lawyer for eight hours earlier this month at a secret London location.Â
Before the leak, Horner broke his silence over investigation, telling Sky Sports as he geared up for the Grand Prix that he was ‘pleased the process is over’ but said he ‘cannot comment’ on it.
‘The focus is very much now on the Grand Prix and the season ahead and to defend both of our titles,’ he added.
When probed on whether he thought it marked the end of the matter, the Red Bull chief replied: ‘I can’t give you any further comment but the process has been conducted and concluded.Â
‘I’m pleased to be here in Bahrain and look on to the season ahead. The unity in the team has never been stronger.’
Horner pictured with his wife Geri Halliwell at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone in 2019
Horner pictured with his wife at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London in July 2019
Horner has been Red Bull team principal since they entered F1 19 years ago and is the longest-serving boss on the grid.
He has overseen seven drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles, since heading the team as a 31-year-old in 2005.
He was then the youngest team principal on the grid, yet is now its longest-serving.
Former Spice Girl sensation Geri, mother of their seven-year-old son Monty, stood resolutely by Horner throughout the ordeal.Â
Despite being ‘devastated’ when the allegations first came to light, the popstar, 51, continued to stand by her husband, who stringently denied the claims.
Last night friends said she was revealed that her ‘rock solid’ support of her husband had been rewarded, with Horner being cleared of any wrong doing.
Halliwell, who shares seven-year-old son Monty with Horner, has not made any public statements about the investigation, but a friend previously told MailOnline she was ‘devastated’ when they first emerged.
A source close to the couple said last night the last few weeks had been ‘hell for Christian and his family’ and he had always branded the claims as being ‘nuts’.
They told the Sun: ‘Geri has been rock solid behind Christian – and his whole family is relieved and elated that it’s over.
‘Those feelings are there but no one close to Christian feels like celebrating much after what he’s been through.’
The intense spotlight on Horner is said to have been affecting the couple’s home life – which they split between their farmhouse, and stables, in Oxfordshire and a home in North London.
