New footage has emerged of Red Bull boss Christian Horner and his wife Geri Halliwell under pressure in a serious conversation with Flavio Briatore during the Bahrain Grand Prix at the weekend.
The couple was the center of attention at the opening Grand Prix of the Formula One season, giving a show of unity in front of the cameras.
Horner was exonerated last week by an internal Red Bull report following allegations of “coercive behavior” towards a female colleague.
But then images emerged in an anonymous email sent to 149 figures within the sport revealing what appeared to be sexually suggestive WhatsApp messages to the complainant.
Among those awarded were FIA President Mohammad bin Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
New images have emerged of Red Bull boss Christian Horner and his wife Geri Halliwell under pressure in a serious argument during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The pair bonded on camera over the weekend after allegations Horner sent sexually suggestive WhatsApp messages to a female colleague.
The pair watched the podium celebrations together after Max Verstappen won the race.
Halliwell kisses her husband before the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon
Former Benetton F1 team boss Briatore greets Red Bull driver Sergio Perez at the Bahrain circuit on Saturday
The clip, posted on Saturday by a Turkish motorsports journalist. Cihangir Perperikshowed Horner and his wife appearing to have a serious conversation with Briatore and a Red Bull staff member at the circuit.
Italian businessman Briatore, 73, was CEO of the Benetton Formula One team during the 1990s, when a young Michael Schumacher won two world titles with them.
He was later manager of the Renault F1 team after they took over Benetton in 2000. Fernando Alonso won the drivers’ championship with the team in 2005 and 2006.
Briatore was forced to resign from Renault due to his involvement in a race-fixing scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix and was sanctioned by the FIA, a sanction that was later overturned.
Briatore was also briefly a part-owner of the Queens Park Rangers Football Club.
Red Bull boss Horner maintained throughout the weekend in Bahrain that “his attention is focused on what’s on the track”, without commenting on the alleged messages.
The Mail reported on Sunday night that Halliwell demanded Horner cut ties with the colleague who is accused of sending saucy messages.
The former Spice Girl, who has until now staunchly supported her embattled partner, is said to have set “strict ground rules” for the Red Bull boss after he was cleared of inappropriate behaviour.
Halliwell, 51, is said to have “read the card to her husband” before putting on a show of unity with him in front of the cameras at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, including a kiss before Max Verstappen claimed the victory for Red Bull.
Horner joined the celebrations after reigning champion Max Verstappen claimed victory in the opening race of the season on Saturday.
Briatore is pictured speaking with Max Verstappen and Horner at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Horner (right) celebrated the Dutchman’s victory in Bahrain.
Jos Verstappen (right) claims Red Bull will “explode” if Christian Horner remains in the team
He was also seen alongside teammate Halliwell to watch the podium celebrations, having previously kissed in full view of the cameras.
But some are calling for Horner to step down, including Jos Verstappen, father of three-time world champion Max, who said the Milton Keynes-based racing team would “explode” if he remains in charge.
“There is tension here as long as he (Horner) remains in his position,” he told Mail Sport exclusively.
‘The team is in danger of disintegrating. It can’t continue as it is. It will explode. He’s playing the victim, when he’s the one causing the problems.’
FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the unrest is “harming the sport on a human level”.
Rival Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the matter should be taken out of Red Bull’s hands
Toto Wolff also spoke out about the situation and called on Formula One’s governing body to “adjust the compass.”
Wolff said: ‘Let’s see where it goes in the next few days. I very much hope that the governing body and the commercial rights holder will adjust the compass.
“But the moment I continue to question how this has been handled, I’m probably not doing the whole thing any good, because then it could be seen as a power struggle within F1.”
“That’s why it shouldn’t be in the hands of the (Red Bull) teams. It’s a much broader issue than that and I don’t want to downplay the whole situation by making it seem like the Mercedes guy is talking about the Red Bull guys.” .
Ben Sulayem told the Financial Times that the unrest is “harming sport on a human level.”
Meanwhile, Domenicali has not reacted directly to the matter and has kept a low profile in Bahrain.
Mail Sport also revealed that FIA president Ben Sulayem told Max Verstappen to back Horner in a cautious chat after qualifying in Bahrain on Friday.
Max Verstappen (right) was seen speaking to FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem (left) after qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The FIA boss reportedly implored Verstappen to back his team principal Christian Horner.
The triple world champion, who took pole position and won the race in Bahrain, was seen chatting with the biggest figure in motorsport in the parc ferme. Both men hid what they said behind their hands.
But according to a close observer, Ben Sulayem told Verstappen: “You must publicly back Christian.”
Another source said Verstappen was not entirely convinced by the advice. The Dutchman was ambiguous when asked about Horner in the subsequent press conference.