In 2015, we covered the wedding of Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner. At the time, I attempted to describe the sh-tstorm around the wedding – Horner had abandoned his longtime partner/girlfriend to get with Geri, and Horner’s parents were so mad about his new relationship that they refused to go to his wedding. Only one of Geri’s Spice Girl mates attended the wedding too. Since the 2015 wedding, there have been rumors about the state of their marriage, but honestly, I always saw it as more of a “local story” in the UK. The British media loves to gin up controversy and scandal about their British celebrities and Spice Girls always sell. This is something else though – last week, Horner was (credibly) accused of sexually harassing a female coworker at Formula 1. Over the weekend, at the F1 race in Bahrain, Geri put in an appearance as a loving and supporting wife to combat the accusations against her husband.
Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner was seen getting cozy with her husband Christian Horner on Saturday, just days after the news broke that the Formula One boss allegedly sent sexual text messages to a coworker.
On Wednesday, Red Bull Racing announced the conclusion of a mysterious investigation into Horner’s “inappropriate behavior,” but did not offer any explanation as to what the allegations against him were. At the time, the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf had reported that Horner allegedly sent “sexually suggestive messages” to a staffer on his F1 team.
Page Six later published that they’d obtained copies of these text messages, in which Horner allegedly told her she looks “very attractive” in Spanx and when she replied they were just leggings, he said that what’s in them is what counts. He also reportedly asked the woman for selfies of her in pajamas and later asked her to delete the chat. Horner has denied any wrongdoing.
“I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations,” Horner said Thursday in a statement. “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.”
The couple, who married in 2015, were seen at the Bahrain Grand Prix holding hands and kissing for the cameras, a sign of solidarity after a week of being embroiled in scandal.
Re: the investigation – from the sound of it, the defense was that this was an attempted affair, not sexual harassment. That turns a blind eye to whether Horner was this woman’s boss (likely) and whether he abused his authority by sending sexually explicit texts or having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate. Anyway, of course Geri showed up in Bahrain and made a big show of holding his hand and kissing him in front of the cameras. That seems entirely on-brand for what little I know of Ginger Spice.
Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner arrive hand-in-hand at the Bahrain Grand Prix 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ajQdCbXAqo
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) March 2, 2024
Photos courtesy of Xavi Bonilla / Panoramic / Avalon, IMAGO/HOCH ZWEI / Avalon, IMAGO / Avalon.
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- HORNER Christian (gbr), Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, portrait and his wife member of Spice Girls Geri Halliwell, portrait during the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2024, 1st round of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship from February 29 to March 2, 2024 on the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain -,Image: 852894910, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: 00124002, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavi Bonilla / Panoramic / Avalon
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- SAKHIR, BAHRAIN: Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner, The Team Principle of the Red Bull Racing team, at the 2024 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.,Image: 853138016, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO / Avalon
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- Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain. Photo by HOCH ZWEI Sakhir Bahrain *** Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain,Image: 853225938, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/HOCH ZWEI / Avalon
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- Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain. Photo by HOCH ZWEI Sakhir Bahrain *** Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain,Image: 853226442, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/HOCH ZWEI / Avalon
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- Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain. Photo by HOCH ZWEI Sakhir Bahrain *** Christian Horner GBR, Oracle Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell, F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Sakhir, Bahrain,Image: 853227071, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/HOCH ZWEI / Avalon
I used to follow F1 very closely and first off he’s well known as not only a MEGA MEGA douche but also as a creepy serial cheater. She was the side piece who upgraded herself to wife with some nice leaks to the press and flaunting around the pit lane off his arm – she made it VERY obvious what was going on between them. IIRC they only went public with the relationship to get ahead of being outed in the press – he was still with the ex at the time. His parents REFUSED to attend their wedding as they were apparently furious with them over the way he treated his ex and they didn’t like her. Halliwell bragged about ‘getting’ her dream man – these 2 morons deserve each other.
You lose a man the same way you get them. And yeah I can see Jos V leaking these texts about him – they HATE each other.
I used to watch F1 not anymore. Horner ( Horny) is a MEGA, MEGA, MEGA DOUCHE.
This story looks to be snowballing – and not in a good way for Mr or Mrs Horner. The word is the employee is now being named and someone else has stepped forward. Joss Verstappen, father of driver Max, is also fighting with Horner and threatening that either he leaves Red Bull or Max will.
It’s snowballed into an avalanche! The text messages (150 or so? I haven’t read them) being released after the ‘investigation’ was huge. She thinks it’s a OK gets on a plane to Bahrain then while in the air the messages drop. She goes into hiding with her team. Finally comes out for the pap stroll to save their collective bank balance. I guess she figures the money is more important..
Whoops this reply is in the wrong spot
I’ve seen the messages. If they are authentic, it is far far worse than an affair. She repeatedly tried to talk sense into him about appripriate behaviour. She declined his sleazy attempts at video calling her at night when she was home and he kept badgering her for sexy pics relentlessly. At one point she refers to two separate conversations when she tried to persuade him in person to stop with that behaviour. Then he gets pissed off at her and gaslights her for being judgy about his behaviour. At one point he says if you don’t like it “I offered you an out” and she kind of begs for her job saying she likes the team and ppl she works with. She also says she doesn’t understand why she is being sent to another hotel at F1 events, where she can’t do her job properly adding that she didn’t want to be in a different hotel, just wanted Horner to behave appropriately.
The Red Bull team saw all this and concluded the investigation with exonorating him of any wrongdoing.
The texts were leaked the next day.
Sigh Geri so many red flags since the beginning.
She wanted a big country house, a man with a family signet ring and children with snooty names. She moved those red flags aside and married in.
And flaunted it ever since. Along with her rich b white /cream wardrobe (even in the garden). He cheated with her of course he was going to cheat on her.
I love her baking videos all in white wherein she proceeds to eat none of the cakes she bakes lol
I think Cee has it spot on, this isn’t some rosy colored glasses, “he’d never do XYZ to ME”, or “I never thought the leopard would eat MY face”, I genuinely don’t think anyone could see this guy and his behavior and imagine a different result, but she wanted the name, the country home, the security etc. and didn’t care that those things came with a notorious douche attached to them, and didn’t mind turning her eyes the other way in regard to his “dalliances”. If she leaves in the future it will because his “dalliances” (affairs but also harassment apparently) became too public or because she’s got a better hold on his assets if she divorces him now, but I refuse to believe people have no idea who they married when the person they married showed them who they were from the start.
Ponsby you’re probably right. Though I think some people do believe they’ll never be cheated on. This is a story we hear over and over : it’s OK until it’s publicly embarrassing, then it’s not. That’s true until he leaves for the next model. It’s a mess.
Cee now I want to watch the all white baking vid 🤣
From what I can tell, the leaked messages puts the whole investigation into question. They concluded it was not harassment but now everyone can read the texts which suggest it was. Now sponsors are talking about dropping out as is their star driver. He’s messing up the business. So maybe they’ll get rid of him? Guess we see.
Now I’m really looking forward to the next season of Drive to Survive 😃
I hope that she got some cold, hard cash for this appearance.
Yep. Geri, you deserve better!
Well, really. She’s trying to maintain her lifestyle, I guess, at the expense of her self-esteem. Then again, she really does seem to enjoy her rich-lady life, mixing with aristos & ‘doing good works’.
Reporting here also said that the email drop to about 200 F1 people and media also included pix of a naked dude: if the contents are accurate, Red Bull covered up Christian Horner’s behavior (which comes with a huge power imbalance).
I live in the NLs, ie Max Verstappen Land. He’s Horner’s star racer. Max’s dad Jos, who’s known in the NLs either as Max’s dad who trained him for glory or as an abusive p.o.s., is one of the people suspected of dropping evidence of Horner’s behavior, though he denies it. He seemingly wants Max over at Mercedes.
TL:DR: a poor woman dealt with a terrible boss, the investigation was private to protect the boss, it leaked and now there’s huge problems at Red Bull.
I have a hard time believing Jos wants Max at Mercedes, they’ve had a terrible car for a few years now… unless it’s about money?? Red Bull have built themselves around Max and made him world champion x3 plus another one likely this year so I’m thinking they just want more control at Red Bull.
What I don’t know is why Jos and the crypt keeper Helmut Marko hate Horner so much after all the success they’ve had – I’m not complaining, I’m following this with my popcorn!
I found this in English: https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1014630/toto-wolff-max-verstappen-mercedes-f1-swoop-christian-horner-investigation-jos-verstappen/
Jos, Max’s dad, has abused multiple women including Max’s mom. He’s awful. So is Helmut Marco who’s really old and in any normal situation would have been retired. My husband said that they need to rebuild their type of race cars every few years—maybe the rebuild is a problem for Red Bull and that’s why Max wants out?
Why TF would Jos want his son to leave the number one escudería to go to Mercedes?
Red Bull is NUMBER 1 at the moment and it’s not all down to their drivers. Their cars, their engineers, their leadership, are a massive part of Max’s and Checo’s success.
When do they need the new car design? Lewis was unstoppable for years in Mercedes and Max couldn’t compete properly until they rolled out the new car design. Max has just been the guy to beat for a fee years with the current type of car, but this will be changing. This could be Jos trying to win a power struggle, but it might also be looking ahead. Or wanting to leave a toxic, nonfunctional (for guys) environment.
The new engine regs in 2026 are going to favor manufacture teams and Mercedes’s strong suit has always been their engine. Plus, the RB/Ford deal is looking rocky thanks to Horner so the RB engine might be effed. Max could pull a Lewis and sacrifice 2025 to be embedded in the team for 2026. George Russell would have a Jenna Maroney-style rage stroke if that happens.
Thanks, Nicole! I hope for George Russell that Max goes nowhere near his team. I don’t think he’s supportive of anyone without a Verstappen surname.
Apologies for all my typos. My phone and I sometimes have a contentious relationship with the keyboard.
Ugh. I hate when women do that. Let the pig lie in the bed he made.
I came here to write the same thing.
I wish women stopped putting on “the brave face” or the “doting supporting wife” act. STOP this.
Oh, but Geri has a lot to lose. She has a family, lifestyle and status of “standing by her man”, to maintain. There’s no going back to the Spice Girls at this point!
Thanks for covering this. I’ve been following from an F1 perspective and I did not know how their relationship started (sadly I hadn’t discovered CB in 2015). That seems totally on-brand for him.
There was speculation I saw about who leaked the messages and why and I wonder if the backlash will continue to a point that there are some consequences. I predicted that he’s be cleared as he’s bringing the team such success and Red Bull would try and just make it go away.
It was always obvs that they would back him but that position is untenable now – he either goes on his own or they fire him. The teams sponsors and star driver are threatening to walk – he’s affecting the bottom line so he will get booted.
Also he ain’t the only one under fire – the F1 President (Mohammed Ben Sulayem) is under investigation for interfering in a race.
And what Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said about women is also being revisited. He apparently tried to get Max to publicly support Christian Horner after the email drop, and Max only did so on a purely professional level, but not on s personal one. Which at first seems good, but is probably because he’s looking to leave anyway for a better deal. Purely business, not because of the woman’s experience.
The F1 is full of toxic masculinity.
The Guardian had a decent article about this today with some decent links: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/05/formula-one-red-bull-christian-horner
Thanks for the article. The last sentence is hilariously on point about this whole mess: “we can only hope that Formula One can restore its cherished reputation in time for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix” lol
I remember that comments about women from Ben Sulayem and it fills me with rage. More women, and younger, than ever are following F1 and have contributed to it’s popularity over the last few years. For Red Bull to think they can sweep away the harrassment of one of their female employees while the rest of the F1 paddock clutch at their pearls, pretending they actually care about the well-being of women while racing in SAUDI ARABIA just highlights what an out-of-touch cesspool of greed F1 is.
Oh, I don’t doubt it.
This is something Ginger Spice would never have allowed and what is with the all white attire!?
white projects innocence. I can only imagine some bird brained stylist. Thought it would be clever to present some sublimial message.
I don’t know much about racing, but all I know is Gerri, if he cheats with you he will cheat on you.
Right?! I thought Ginger Spice would be better than this. So not girl power.
She always wears white. It’s her thing, apparently.
It must suck to raise a daughter, send her to school & watch her land her dream job only to be sexually harassed by a senior member of the team. Who was cleared of wrongdoing by the way. Isn’t there a pill men can take to ‘dampen their ardor’? If not there should be.
Seriously, this sucks for women everywhere.
There’s a power struggle going on at Red Bull right now. Son took over the 49%, wants Horner out, has for some time. Jos Verstappen (horrible person as well), their (champion) driver’s dad also has a hate-on for Horner. There’s a lot more going on here than “just” possible harassment etc. There’s a very real battle going on behind that scenes that started before all of this – this is just another move.
So F1’s “investigation” was nothing. This guy sexually harassed his subordinate who made it clear when she said she was just wearing leggings to leave off, and continued to send her sexually suggestive notes. What a creep, and Geri deserves everything she’s getting.
Plus there is a d!ck pick and if it’s real… man. It looks like a thumb burnt in a cooking accident.
From a F1 perspective, she’s always there and they usually look like this so yeah, I’m betting she doesn’t give a shit about cheating unless it’s humiliating for her. If someone’s leaking everything to have Horner out, THEN she might care about the optics.
Verstappen´s dad’s a shaddy POS so yeah…
This is a mild way of putting it. In the leaked texts, Horner pesters the poor woman for videocalls and she tries to placate him as best she can. Horner is an incredibly powerful man in F1 and allegedly was going to be asked to step down, but he flat out refused. Just awful for this poor woman who keeps saying how much she loves her job, only to be harassed by her louche boss.
As for Geri, imagine preaching about girl power for decades only to then go and act like this, protecting that creep
If you get with a cheater he/she will cheat on you. Geri’s girl power stance was always a gimmick anyway.
Poor woman should have played the slime ball his wife’s “stop right now” song. I don’t care how successful Red bull is, I don’t care if gerry and her husband turned on a cringy, loving Oscar worthy performance. THIS isn’t about them. It’s about a man with a massive ego, abusing his position of power, and the sham red bull investigation letting him get away with it
I wonder if Geri phoned Posh Spice for advice on dealing with a public cheating scandal. VB would have some pointers about standing by your man…
Scary and Ginger really have had the worst luck with men. They should have just stayed together.