Christian Horner: Geri Halliwell's Unseen Reaction to Booing, Allegations, Investigations and Exit Drama

Newly revealed documentary footage captures Geri Halliwell's unseen reaction as christian horner was booed by fans following a sex texts scandal, a moment that highlights the turbulence surrounding his later dismissal from the team and the wider fallout in the paddock.

Geri Halliwell at race weekends and the O2 launch

Geri Halliwell, aged 53, had been a semi-regular fixture on race weekends alongside her husband, often appearing in the paddock at prominent races such as the British Grand Prix, before he was sacked as Red Bull chief during the last season. Newly surfaced footage from the documentary series Drive to Survive shows Halliwell watching christian horner onstage at the F1 72 launch event at the O2 in February last year. She is seen smiling but seemingly concerned as fans booed him vigorously while he carried out his speech.

What the F1 72 launch footage reveals

At the O2 launch, Horner appeared to wear a grin while addressing the crowd and then wandered awkwardly looking for directions to his seat after his speech. The camera captured other notable reactions in the room: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc watched on, and Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson were also present. Backstage, Hamilton was stunned and could be heard saying "s***. " Lawson said, "I think we are going to get a lot of boos, " to which Verstappen replied, "I don't give a f***. "

Christian Horner's account and public comments

Christian Horner, aged 52, has spoken publicly about his departure. He said that Max Verstappen and Verstappen's camp were "not responsible" for his exit from the team in 2025. Horner noted that Jos Verstappen, Max's father, had been outspoken and had "never been my biggest fan. " He described feeling a "real sense of loss" after leaving his roles as team principal and chief executive last summer and said, "It was all rather sudden. I didn't really get the chance to say a proper goodbye. " Horner also blamed the managing director Oliver Mintzlaff and adviser Helmut Marko for his dismissal, saying, "I think this was a decision that was made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the side-line. "

Timeline: allegations, investigations and clearing

The controversy began when, in February 2024, the paddock was stunned by a leaked cache of suggestive messages purporting to be from Horner. A female member of staff later accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour. He was questioned by a KC for a full day at a secret location last year, with the barrister gathering evidence that was written up in 150 pages for the board's determination.

Horner always denied the accusations. The matter was investigated and he was twice cleared: an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer cleared him, and a further review by another lawyer dismissed the complainant's appeal. In other coverage of the inquiry it is noted that the internal process involved KCs and that he was cleared twice; the exact nature of the complaints remains unclear in the provided context.

Red Bull GmbH statement and aftermath

Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, the team’s parent company, issued a formal statement about the independent investigation, saying the grievance had been dismissed, that the complainant had a right of appeal, and that the investigation had been fair, rigorous and impartial. The statement added that the investigation report is confidential because it contains private information of the parties and third parties who assisted, and that the organisation would not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. The statement concluded that the organisation will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.

Team performance, titles and the contract picture

Under Horner's leadership, the team won multiple championships: he led the squad to eight drivers' championships and six constructors' championship titles. Max Verstappen won four Formula 1 titles while working under Horner. Verstappen was contracted until 2028 and only committed to racing for the team in the 2026 season after Horner's exit. Some suggested Horner's departure was an attempt by the team to convince Verstappen to sign a new deal, and Jos Verstappen said Horner had been "driving people apart" before his departure. Horner said, reflecting on wider changes, "I think ultimately things changed within the business, within the group. The founder died, and after Dietrich Mateschitz's death, I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control. " He left the organisation with a reported £52m payout.

These revelations exposed in the documentary series and the public accounts that followed have left several questions in the paddock and among fans; details that remain unclear in the provided context may evolve as further information emerges.