Geri Halliwell to skip next F1 race amid Christian Horner sext shame after putting on brave face with kiss in Bahrain
CHRISTIAN Horner’s wife Geri Halliwell is not expected to join him for the next F1 race after a humiliating sext scandal saw her husband’s seedy messages leaked online.
It comes after the former Spice Girl, 51, put on a show of public support in Bahrain over the weekend, holding hands, hugging and even kissing the Red Bull boss.
Next weekend Horner’s team is set to tackle the race in Saudi Arabia, but the F1 boss will have to do it without his wife by his side.
An inside source told The Sun: “Christian will be heading to Saudi Arabia for the race next weekend and I doubt Geri will be there.”
Despite reports that the mum-of-one “felt like a fool” for trusting her husband, the source said her absence is due to a busy schedule.
And while the pair put on a united front for the cameras on Saturday, sources said she “read the riot act” to him on Friday evening.
The Spice Girl has apparently made it clear that she wants her husband, 50, to cut ties with the female colleague involved.
A distraught Geri is also understood to have laid down ground rules over her hubby’s future behaviour – including on future messages he can send on his phone.
A showbiz source said: “Although she smiled for the cameras at the grand prix, Geri has laid down some strict ground rules.
“One is that Christian cuts or reduces contact with the woman — but that is difficult because of her role at Red Bull.
“And she has definitely had her say over what messages he sends. For obvious reasons, Geri would like the female colleague — who she knew before her appointment — to be out of the picture as much as possible.
“But they cannot sack her as there are no grounds to do so.”
An F1 insider said Geri, mum to Horner’s seven-year-old son, had shown “nothing but support” to her husband.
Horner was cleared by an internal Red Bull investigation after the initial shocking allegations of inappropriate behaviour just weeks ago.
But only hours later an anonymous dossier of his seedy and sexually suggestive messages were leaked widely online – as Geri was mid-air on a flight to Bahrain.
F1 champion Max Verstappen’s dad Jos is also set to skip the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix after his own row with Horner.
The pair fell out over Horner‘s sexting scandal – as Verstappen Senior told press the team “is in danger of being torn apart” and things “can’t go on” the way they are.
His close friendship with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff could even see Max forced to jump ship and take the seat left vacant by Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
The Sun alleged over the weekend that a mole inside the Red Bull camp could have sent the dossier of texts to F1 personnel.
And Jos, a former team-mate of Michael Schumacher, was asked if he was involved.
He strongly denied the claims, saying: “That wouldn’t make sense.
“Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”
Horner did not comment on the leak while in Bahrain for the Grand Prix.
While it is not clear yet whether the messages are authentic, and serve as evidence against him – they showcased a series of seedy and sexually suggestive conversations.
Horner had always denied the allegations of inappropriate behaviour and was cleared by Red Bull to continue in his role on Wednesday after the employee’s claim for grievance was dismissed.