Christian Horner latest: Red Bull boss holds crunch meeting after ‘WhatsApps leaked’

Bright and early, Christian Horner has arrived at the paddock in Bahrain for the first race of this season this afternoon, starting at 3pm (GMT).

Notably, wife Geri Halliwell was not present with him. It is currently unknown whether she will attend the race. She is in Bahrain.

All the cameras will be lasered on Horner either way though, as he takes his position on the pit wall for the grand prix, with his star driver Max Verstappen starting on pole.

The team principal, married to Spice Girl member Geri Horner who arrived in Bahrain late on Thursday, was cleared of “inappropriate behaviour” on Wednesday after a three-week internal probe conducted by an external lawyer, following allegations from a female colleague which were strongly refuted by Horner.

However, just 24 hours later, WhatsApp texts and pictures were leaked from an anonymous source – to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, the sport’s nine other team principals and members of the media – allegedly showing conversations between Horner and the complainant. The Independent has seen the leaked material, a Google Drive with 79 separate documents, but is unable to verify the authenticity of the content.

It is also unclear currently whether the alleged exchanges formed part of the investigation or whether it is new evidence. The embattled Red Bull boss was present in the F1 paddock in Bahrain on Friday, as his star driver Max Verstappen took pole position for the race on Saturday.

Horner, 50, met with Ben Sulayem and Domenicali on Friday at the Bahrain circuit. It remains to be seen how F1 and the sport’s governing body handle the matter in the next few days, after a saga which has overshadowed the first race of the 2024 season.

Here, we look at the key questions surrounding Horner, Red Bull, and the sport.

Just hours after the Red Bull boss was officially cleared of ‘inappropriate behaviour’, a series of ‘sexually suggestive’ WhatsApp messages and pictures, allegedly sent by Horner, were leaked – and it’s very mucky indeed for a sport beset with issues, writes long-term motor racing fan Gemma Abbott.

Helmut Marko admits he is “flabbergasted” that texts allegedly from Christian Horner to the complainant involved in Red Bull’s investigation were leaked to F1 personnel and media.

Red Bull F1 boss Horner was cleared on Wednesday of “inappropriate behaviour” after a three-week internal probe, conducted by an external lawyer, following allegations from a female colleague which Horner strongly refuted.

But late on Thursday, WhatsApp texts and pictures – some of a sexually suggestive nature – were leaked from an anonymous source to over 100 F1 personnel and media, allegedly showing conversations between Horner and the complainant. The veracity of the content cannot be verified and it is not known whether the alleged exchanges formed part of the investigation or whether it is new evidence.

Now Red Bull senior adviser Marko, who was in conversation with Horner in the F1 paddock in Bahrain on Thursday ahead of the first race of the new season, has reacted to the leak.

Horner has been cleared to continue as Red Bull team principal following an internal probe into “inappropriate behaviour” towards a female colleague.

Horner was on the Red Bull pit wall on Thursday for both practice sessions of the new season.

Geri Horner landed in Bahrain on a private jet to reunite with her husband, Christian Horner, on Friday just hours after what appeared to be a series of sexually suggestive messages with a female subordinate were leaked.

Sources close to the singer say she was “relieved and elated” when the case against Horner was thrown out having been reduced to “floods of tears” while waiting on the outcome of the investigation, according to The Sun.

But less than 24 hours later a series of WhatsApp texts and photographs were released, reigniting the scandal and forcing the pair’s relationship into the spotlight once more.

Horner, the Red Bull F1 boss, was cleared of “inappropriate behaviour” on Wednesday after a three-week internal probe conducted by an external lawyer, following allegations from a female colleague which were strongly refuted by Horner.

However, just 24 hours later, WhatsApp texts and pictures – some of a sexually suggestive nature – were leaked from an anonymous source to the sport’s prominent figures and members of the media, allegedly showing conversations between Horner and the complainant. The Independent has seen the leaked material, a Google Drive with 79 separate documents, but is unable to verify the authenticity of the content.

Horner’s wife, Spice Girl pop star Geri Horner, has landed in Bahrain ahead of Saturday’s race and Schiff, a former W Series driver and regular on Sky’s F1 coverage, spoke of her “sadness” at the continuing developments.