Christian Horner has been pictured in Saudi Arabia without his wife Geri Halliwell ahead of the second Formula One Grand Prix of the season, as the embattled Red Bull team principal fights for his future.
The Red Bull team principal was seen deep in talks with a colleague in Jeddah, the capital of Saudi Arabia, as he faces increasing pressure on his position.
Horner has been publicly criticized by Jos, the father of star driver Max Verstappen, as the furor over his texting scandal continues.
The 50-year-old’s position dominated the opening weekend of the season in Bahrain, despite Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez scoring a one-two for Red Bull.
The Red Bull boss was cleared of allegations of “coercive behaviour” towards a female colleague last Wednesday following an internal investigation, after news of the allegations broke on February 5.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was spotted in Jeddah ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The embattled Red Bull boss has been fighting for his job this month amid a texting scandal.
Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher is convinced that Christian Horner’s stay at Red Bull will scare away Max Verstappen
However, less than 24 hours later, an anonymous email leak of 79 documents that appeared to show Horner sending sexually suggestive messages to the employee at the center of the investigation circulated among key sports figures, adding fuel to the fire. .
Horner’s arrival in Saudi Arabia comes after Ralf Schumacher claimed that either Horner or star driver Max Verstappen should leave Red Bull in the wake of the scandal.
“If Christian Horner holds on to his seat with all his might,” Schumacher, brother of F1 legend Michael, told Austrian media Kronen Zeitung.
“Not only will it damage Red Bull, but it will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team.”
Schumacher’s comments came after the Red Bull boss last week after taking part in a Furious mystery dispute with Verstappen’s father, Jos.
It came after Mail Sport exclusively reported that Verstappen senior believes the champion constructor will “explode” if Horner does not abandon his position, while he also reportedly told friends that Verstappen junior could leave the team if Horner remains at Red Bull.
He told Mail Sport that the team would “explode” if Horner did not resign and accused him of “playing the victim when he is the problem”.
Horner will be boosted by the absence of Verstappen Sr. this weekend, with the Dutchman competing in a rally in Belgium this weekend.
The 50-year-old had also held “peace talks” with Verstappen’s representative Raymond Vermeulen in Dubai, which were believed to have gone smoothly, although neither Max nor Jos were present.
Horner and Halliwell showed a show of unity in Bahrain last week in the opening race of the season.
Horner, wife of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, discovered last Wednesday afternoon that he had been acquitted and would keep his £8million-a-year job running the Red Bull F1 team.
Halliwell will not be present in Saudi Arabia for the second Grand Prix of the season
Triple world champion Verstappen has defended his father’s comments ahead of Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“I haven’t asked him that, but my father, from what I know about karting, is very frank and not a liar, that’s for sure.” That’s what I can say about things,” Verstappen said.
‘My dad and I are very close. We call every day. On the other hand, I’m not the guy who likes to talk a lot about certain things and I just want to focus on driving. “If there are problems, we try to solve them within the team.”
Horner is in Jeddah without his Spice Girl wife Geri, who will be absent for the second Grand Prix of the season.
Halliwell had made a public show of support for her husband last weekend at the season opener in Bahrain.
Halliwell, 51, is said to have “read her husband the riot card” before putting on a show of unity, and inside sources said the pop star wants the employee in question “out of the picture”.
Before the race began, Horner had emerged from the back of Red Bull’s hospitality suite through a door to meet Halliwell as she arrived at the main entrance to the paddock.
They then held hands as they walked through the paddock to Red Bull’s hospitality suite. During the short walk they were harassed by photographers and television crews.
Max Verstappen defended himself against his father’s comments about Horner’s future
Horner, who earns £8 million a year, has been determined to remain in his job throughout the Formula One season.
‘“I’m not going to comment on the motives anyone might have for doing this,” he said last week.
‘Absolutely (I will be in Saudi Arabia next week and will be in my role for the rest of the season). I have always been confident that I will be here.
‘It hasn’t been nice to receive so much unwanted attention. My focus is largely on what’s on the track.
‘My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and competing. “I am supported by an incredible family, an incredible wife and an incredible team.”
On Monday, new allegations were published in an explosive 19-page investigation in BusinessF1 magazine that named Horner’s accuser, although sources close to the Red Bull boss deny these claims, insisting they are “full of inaccuracies.”
Horner was involved in a row with Jos Verstappen, who called for the 50-year-old to resign.
The men were seen in a heated argument after Friday’s qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
It was also revealed that Verstappen has a surprising release clause in his contract that allows him to leave Red Bull if his ally Dr Helmut Marko leaves the team.
Marko, an 80-year-old Austrian, is the company’s motorsports advisor. Triple world champion Verstappen fought for him when there were moves afoot to get him out of the gate last year, moves for which Horner was held responsible. It is understood there is still a rift between the two sides dating back to this dispute.
Horner hopes to keep the focus on the track this weekend, with testing at the Jeddah Corniche circuit starting today.
Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, and Red Bull will look for its third consecutive success at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday.