Formula 1 chief Christian Horner last night faced new allegations that he tried to pay a £650,000 ($1.25m AUD) cash settlement to a woman employee who received “sexually suggestive” texts.
The 50-year-old Red Bull Racing boss – and husband of Spice Girl Geri Halliwell – was thought to have been under investigation over alleged “controlling” behaviour at work.
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But a Dutch newspaper, which claims to have seen messages at the heart of the probe, alleges they were “sexually orientated”.
The shock claims last night ramped up heartache for pop star Geri, 51, who was said to be “in floods of tears” when the scandal first broke.
Dashing former racing driver Horner – who runs World Champion Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team – endured an eight-hour grilling last week. He denies any wrongdoing.
Red Bull’s Austrian parent company flew an independent lawyer to the UK to question both the multi-millionaire race ace and his accuser.
Team Principal Horner denied all the allegations against him and was present at the launch of Red Bull’s RB20 2024 car on Thursday.
Neither he nor the woman have been suspended and have continued to work among 1,500 staff at Red Bull Racing’s sprawling hi-tech campus in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
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But Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that Horner allegedly sent sex messages to the woman employee “over an extended period of time”.
Messages were said to have been saved and presented as evidence to the external barrister running the inquiry after the woman made a complaint last December.
De Telegraaf also claimed Horner’s lawyers tried to settle the case with a payment of $1.25m – and that senior Red Bull management were aware of his offer.
Horner publicly addressed the allegations against him for the first time at the launch of the RB20 this week.
“Inevitably there has been a distraction, but the team are very together,” he said.
“Everybody’s focused on the season ahead, so it’s been very much business as normal and the support has been fantastic.
“In situations like these, you see where the strengths are, and it’s been overwhelming the support that I’ve had from within the team.
“The drivers have been incredibly good, the partners, it’s been incredible.
“There have been some allegations made, which I fully deny, so that the investigation is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead, and hopefully it will be concluded in the near future.”
F1 Insiders said after Horner was grilled last week that he was not “expected to survive in his role” at Red Bull.
But another source told The Sun: “Christian has not been sacked or asked to resign and he is not going to resign.”
Red Bull Racing declined to comment last night and the drinks firm’s Austrian parent company did not respond to inquiries about the Dutch paper’s report.
It comes after it was reported Geri has a strong group of friends who she can turn to for support, including her ex-bandmate Victoria Beckham.
A close source 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.”
Geri has reportedly been leaning heavily on former bandmate Victoria, 49.
The two have been close ever since their Spice Girls days, with a source telling 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.”
It helps that they live nearby – both have luxurious family homes in the Cotswolds.
Geri was also a pillar of support to Victoria when her husband David was accused of having an affair back in 2003.
She was also a shoulder to cry on when David was handed a red card during the 1998 World Cup – which the footballer has called “the most difficult time” in his career.
The insider added: “Victoria and David have had some really low points together as a couple and Geri was there for her.
“She’s never forgotten how good Geri was with … 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.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.
