Woman at centre of Christian Horner ‘sex texts’ scandal launches appeal against Red Bull’s investigation that cleared Geri Halliwell’s husband of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ and led to her suspension for ‘dishonesty’

The woman who accused Red Bull team principal Christian Horner of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ and was subsequently suspended by the Formula 1 team is appealing the investigation that cleared Geri Halliwell’s husband, according to reports.

MailOnline exclusively reported on Thursday that the Red Bull employee at the center of the ‘sex text’ scandal surrounding Horner had felt ‘let down’ by the team’s decision to clear the 50-year-old of any wrongdoing. Mail Sport had subsequently revealed that his accuser was suspended by the team ‘because she was dishonest’.

It was announced in February that Red Bull, through an independent lawyer, was investigating Horner over allegations of ‘coercive behaviour’ towards his female colleague. He was subsequently cleared before the first race of the season in Bahrain, while his ex-Spice Girl partner, Halliwell, continued to publicly support her husband at the first two races of the season.

Screenshots of text conversations allegedly sent between the pair were leaked to the media and key Formula 1 figures via an anonymous email a day after Horner was cleared of wrongdoing – thrusting him back into the limelight.

According to Dutch outlet The TelegraphThe Red Bull team principal’s accuser is ‘now appealing the decision’.

The report claims she initially had five days to file an appeal after receiving the official paperwork following the initial investigation.

However, the claimant has ‘hired a new lawyer’, which will now give her more time to appeal the decision.

A friend of the woman had exclusively told MailOnline: ‘She’s so disappointed with how it’s all gone, especially as she did everything by the book.

‘She raised her concerns privately and did everything right, but she feels very let down by the company.

‘They have suspended her as she followed due process diligently and correctly.’

Earlier this week, Red Bull denied claims that Horner would be sacked before Formula 1’s next Australian Grand Prix on March 24.

Reports claim that shareholders of the Milton Keynes-based racing outfit met in Dubai on Sunday following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen had cruised to victory in Jeddah, his second victory of the year. The stakeholders, meanwhile, were aligned with the view that Horner should remain in his role.

“As Christian has said, he is grateful for the full support of the shareholders and that continues to be the case,” a Red Bull spokesman said.

Three-time world champion Verstappen, meanwhile, has called for ‘peace’ at the racing team amid the ongoing situation.

It came after he had threatened to walk away from Red Bull, whose adviser Helmut Marko was to be suspended following allegations he had leaked information to the media.

‘I have always said that the most important thing is that we work together as a team and that everyone keeps the peace.

‘And that’s what I think we all agree on within the team. So hopefully from now on that will also be fully the case.

‘Everyone tries to focus in the same direction. And I think the positive of all this is that it didn’t hurt the performances. So it’s a very strong team.

“I think also mentally, what you can see from not only the driver’s side, but also mechanics, engineers, everyone is there to do their job.

“And I think everybody, even when there’s stuff going on or whatever, they’re just focused on their jobs, like they should be.”