Geri Horner decides on Saudi GP visit as Max Verstappen tipped to quit Red Bull
Christian Horner's wife Geri Halliwell is expected to miss this Saturday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after her show of unity with the Red Bull team principal last weekend.
Horner, 50, was recently cleared of alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague after Red Bull carried out an investigation which lasted 23 days. The team boss strongly denied the accusations and has maintained his innocence after alleged messages and photos were leaked to the media and high-ranking Formula 1 chiefs ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
Before last Saturday's race got underway, Horner made his way out the back of Red Bull's hospitality suite to meet wife Geri, who arrived at the main entrance of the paddock. The Spice Girls icon and her husband of 10 years then held hands as they walked in full view of photographers and TV crews.
Horner and Halliwell later kissed as they celebrated Red Bull's one-two finish but they won't have the chance to do the same this Saturday, as the 51-year-old is understood to have other commitments in her schedule. The couple's display of solidarity in Bahrain received mixed reviews, as ex-F1 driver Christijan Albers labelled it a "farce."
"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," Albers said on Dutch outlet De Telegraaf 's F1 podcast. "That's just a farce, and I would never have done that myself."
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The sport's longest-serving team principal remains under pressure to step down from his position after Jos Verstappen - the father of Red Bull's lead driver, Max - publicly questioned Horner's future. During an interview with the Mail following his son's win in Bahrain, Jos warned that Red Bull are "in danger of being torn apart."
"It can't go on the way it is," the Dutchman added. "It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems."
Geri Halliwell will miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to other commitments in her schedule (Getty Images)In the wake of Jos' comments, another former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, has now claimed that should Horner end up staying, then three-time world champion Max will quit. "If Christian Horner holds on to his seat with all his might. he will not only damage Red Bull, he will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team," Schumacher told Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung.
Despite the German's claim, Verstappen himself says that it'd take something "crazy" for him to leave Red Bull, as he's under contract until 2028. "Things must go really crazy, I guess, but that's not the target for everyone," the 26-year-old told Sky Sports on Wednesday.
"From my side, I'm just focusing on the driving bit. I think that is also most important for the team right now and that's also why we came here. That's our main target and also what we want to focus on, to not have this stuff going on race after race because that is not good for the team."
Max Verstappen has been tipped to quit Red Bull is Christian Horner stays put (Clive Rose/Getty Images)Horner - who held clear-the-air talks with Max's manager in Dubai earlier this week - insists that Red Bull are "united," telling Sky after their one-two finish through Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez : "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."
As the spotlight stays on Horner in Saudi Arabia, ex-Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo - who now drives for their junior team, RB - admits that he "feels" for his old boss.
"I've known Christian for a long time," Ricciardo said, speaking in Jeddah ahead of the second Grand Prix of the season. "He's always been great with me. So I do hope that there is a fair outcome and resolution soon."
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