Following the release of a Mother’s Day homage to his wife, former Spice Girls actress Geri Halliwell, F1 chairman
Christian Horner is seeing new criticism.
After an internal investigation, the Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal was absolved of any wrongdoing after
being accused of engaging in “inappropriate behavior” with a female coworker. The colleague has now been
suspended.
In response to allegations of sexually provocative WhatsApp messages, Horner has called for an end to “family
intrusion.”
The 50-year-old posted a photo of Halliwell cradling their son on Mother’s Day (Sunday, March 10) with a message
expressing his gratitude for moms. In addition to pictures of his kid, he also shared one of what looked to be his own
mother.
In the post, he wished a happy Mother’s Day and received hundreds of comments. We are incredibly grateful to our
mothers for everything that they do. We are ever-grateful, both now and always.
However, social media users weren’t overly thrilled, with some accusing Horner of giving the current F1 story a “PR
spin.”
“Christian I’ve always been a big fan of F1 and of you, but it just isn’t the correct strategy to adopt to try to hide all of
this under PR messages,” a person commented.
“You’ve humiliated Geri, if the stories are true, and PR spin is like putting a plaster on an amputated limb.”
Did someone in PR tell you to share this? Donut,” someone else commented. Several concentrated their efforts on
Halliwell’s endorsement of Horner, saying things like, “In 1996, Ginger Spice would have shown you the door.”
The Independent has reached out to Horner’s agent for a response.
The pair has been spotted together several times since the accusations became known.
Jos Verstappen, the father of Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen, called for Horner to step down in the wake
of the incident.
Hours after his colleague’s suspension, the F1 chief pleaded with the press to “draw a line” under the affair.
It’s been a really difficult time, he admitted. “I am married with three kids, and when that interferes with your
marriage and kids, I’m grateful that I have a lovely family and a supportive wife.”
