Red Bull’s future engine supplier Ford has warned Christian Horner to expect “very high standards of behavior and integrity” as the Formula One team boss faces allegations of sexual misconduct.
The husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was accused earlier this month of “coercive behaviour” towards a close employee of the Milton Keynes-based Red Bull team.
Reports in the Dutch newspaper. Telegraaf on Friday claimed that the allegations go even deeper and that Horner allegedly sent sexual messages to the woman in question.
Horner, 50, is currently the subject of an internal investigation into allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” being carried out by an unnamed London KC.
He categorically denies all charges against him.
Christian Horner faced allegations of sexual misconduct on Friday night in the scandal that rocked the world’s most glamorous sport.
Horner, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, is fighting to save his career after a colleague accused him of “inappropriate behaviour”.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport, said the ‘family business’ expects ‘very high standards of behavior and integrity’ in response to the Horner controversy.
Ford Motor Co., which will become Red Bull’s engine supplier in 2026, became the first of the team’s partners to comment on the Horner controversy.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport, said Friday at Daytona International Speedway: “As a family-owned business held to very high standards of behavior and integrity, we expect the same from our partners.”
“It seems to us, and what we have been told, that Red Bull is taking the situation very seriously. And, of course, they are also concerned about their brand.
“And that’s why they have an independent investigation and until we see what’s true, it’s too early for us to comment on anything.”
Horner took center stage as Red Bull launched its new car for the upcoming F1 season.
“Obviously, there’s a process going on right now,” he said.
‘Some accusations have been made which I strongly deny and obviously I comply with that process and will continue to do so.
“I think it has been very clear and Red Bull’s position has been that everything continues as normal.
‘There is obviously work to do and I strongly deny the accusations that have been made. Obviously my role continues.”
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen at the launch his relationship with Horner remains “very good”.
An article in De Telegraaf alleges that he sent sexual messages to the woman in question.
The Dutch driver said: “We have met several times. We have achieved many things together and that doesn’t change suddenly.
‘My contact with Christian has been the same as the first day. It’s been like normal.’
Horner, who earns £8 million a year in the role, spent more than nine hours last week defending his position in a meeting with the lawyer leading the investigation.
Neither he nor Red Bull have responded to the latest allegations, which allege he sent “suggestive messages” to the staff member, with evidence in the form of WhatsApp exchanges that De Telegraaf claims to have seen.
This escalates the claims as originally reported.
During the launch of Red Bull’s car for the new season, Horner said it was going nowhere.
Geri was “devastated” by the original accusations, but is said to have “stuck like glue.”
“She will smile and do everything she can to keep them together,” a source said.
De Telegraaf further claims that the woman was offered a considerable sum, something Horner’s lawyers denied last night.
Horner married Geri in 2015 and met at the British Grand Prix a few years earlier. He left his partner Beverley, mother of his nine-year-old daughter Olivia, to start a new home and live in north London with Geri, with whom he has a son, Monty, seven.
He drives every day to the team’s base in Milton Keynes, works long hours and is known as a fanatical ‘racer’, who enjoyed success as a junior driver before realizing he was no longer good enough at it and dedicated himself to to lead teams. than drive for them.
He ran the successful Arden team in the junior category, Formula 3000, and had the support of Bernie Eccelstone, then ruler of motorsport, to take over Red Bull when they arrived in F1 in 2005, aged 31.
Under Horner’s leadership, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has won three consecutive world titles.
He was then the head of the youngest team. He is now the longest serving team manager. Ecclestone was best man at Horner’s wedding to Geri in 2015, and the couple swapped roles when Ecclestone married Fabian Flosi, a Brazilian lawyer more than 40 years his senior.
Horner is enjoying the fame that his life with Geri has brought him, as well as his exposure in the Netflix series Drive to Survive. He celebrated his 50th birthday party in Mayfair, with Sir Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Gary Barlow.
Serenaded with choruses of ‘Happy Birthday’, Horner cut the cake with the legend ‘World Champion’. “I thought we were starting a band,” Horner said.
In December, Horner was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire to honor his success in overseeing two periods of success at the team, the second of which ended Mercedes’ long period of Lewis Hamilton-inspired dominance.
He has won 13 world championships in the 19 years he has managed the team and has become a household name in the sport and beyond.