06 March 2024 , 09:15
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Christian Horner's public show of defiance with wife Geri in Bahrain has been labelled as: "Just a farce".
The couple have been in the spotlight recently as the Red Bull team principal faces allegations of inappropriate behaviour. He was cleared by an internal investigation but questions continue to be asked following leaked texts and photos, allegedly between Horner and a female employee.
Horner has dismissed the material and remains committed to his role, insisting he has no intention of leaving his position. His marriage with the former Spice Girl has been in the spotlight, but at the weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, Geri showed up in the paddock and was pictured holding hands with her husband as the pair gave off a unified look.
Former F1 driver Christijan Albers was less than impressed and said on De Telegraaf 's F1 podcast: "What kind of farce is that?
"It's always very easy to say something about that, it is for me too. It's easy to undercut someone. Only, let's be honest, that PR guy, or what he himself came up with to walk onto the paddock with Geri, is of course just absolute nonsense.
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"That's just a farce, and I would never have done that myself."
There continue to be rumours of internal issues at Red Bull as a result of the noise surrounding Horner. The team managed to continue their dominance on the track as world champion Max Verstappen eased to victory in the season opener, leading home a 1-2 for the team with Sergio Perez second.
The Dutchman has been asked by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to publicly back his boss, after failing to do so in a pre-race press conference. Verstappen though declined, as per BBC, and told the man at the top of the sport to instead begin his own investigation.
Max's father, Jos, has been particularly outspoken on the issue, declaring: "There is tension here while [Horner] remains in position. The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can't go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems."
Max Verstappen is yet to publicly back Christian Horner (Bob McCaffrey)Horner maintains that, despite the outside noise, Red Bull are a united outfit: "Yes absolutely. We are a very strong team. We have got tremendous support, tremendous partners and great shareholders behind us as well. You don't achieve this kind of result by not being united."
The team principal also added: "Obviously it's not been pleasant, the unwanted attention. But the focus is now very much on the cars. My focus has very much been on what's going on on-track and the result today I think demonstrates where the whole team's focus is and we move onwards."
Horner is understood to have met Verstappen's manager in Dubai in a bid to ease any tensions that could be rising within the team, which the driver's father has alluded to.