Christian Horner has been mocked by Mumsnet users over ‘mortifying’ leaked texts he allegedly sent to a junior female employee.
Geri Halliwell‘s husband was cleared to continue as Red Bull team principal on Wednesday following an internal probe into claims of ‘coercive behaviour’, which he has always denied.
But just 24 hours later, texts apparently exchanged between him and the complainant were sent from an anonymous email to 149 F1 figures – leading friends to warn that his marriage to the Spice Girl was ‘in question for the first time’ .
How he Was Mocked
Mumsnet users described the messages as ‘sleazy’, with one writing that they ‘give me the creeps’.
Another described the exchanges as ‘humiliating’ for Halliwell, adding ‘I really feel for her’.
One of the suggestive text exchanges that are said to involve Horner and have been leaked online
One forum poster suggested the messages raised questions for Red Bull.
‘It calls Red Bull’s integrity into question,’ the mother wrote. ‘They did say it was a private matter after the leak, but as this is an employee, I do not think they can get away with going into hiding on it.’
Others were more direct, describing the messages as ‘grim’ and ‘pathetic’.
Horner returned to the paddock in Bahrain yesterday with his future once again in the spotlight after hundreds of WhatsApp messages were plastered all over social media.
What Will Happen Now?
As well as putting his marriage under threat, Horner, 50, is also at risk of falling foul of the moral behaviour code set by F1 governing body the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
This can be breached if ‘any words, deeds, or writings have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members, or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA’.
Sources close the employee have questioned the ‘one-side’ decision to clear Horner and feel it should be looked at again after the leak of the crude messages her boss allegedly sent her.
