Smiling Christian Horner shrugs off sext scandal at F1 as ‘humiliated’ Geri lays low amid fears MORE messages will leak

A SMILING Christian Horner appears to have shrugged off his sext scandal as he arrived alone at the Bahrain Grand Prix today.

Geri Halliwell landed in Bahrain on Thursday night but has since been laying low amid fears more bombshell messages could be leaked.

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A smiling Christian Horner was seen today at the Bahrain Grand Prix[/caption]

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The Red Bull Racing boss seemed to have shrugged off his sext bombshell scandal[/caption]

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Horner with his wife Geri Halliwell pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco last May[/caption]

Meanwhile, the Red Bull Racing chief was seen today focused and ready to take on the 2024 Formula One season.

Horner was pictured on his own today walking into the paddock ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The former Spice Girl, 51, is expected to join her husband on the paddock later today as Red Bull bosses confirmed to The Daily Mail.

Horner was previously snapped at a practice session in Bahrain with driver Max Verstappen making preparations ahead of Friday’s qualifying.

He was also seen pacing from the hospitality area to the team’s garage, stopping only to check his phone and to sign autographs for waiting children.

The trove of texts sent anonymously to F1 bosses and media outlets confirmed Horner did send inappropriate messages behind his wife Geri Halliwell’s back, despite being cleared in a Red Bull probe.

The team boss refused to comment on the leaked WhatsApp sexts.

Some of the grubby messages were reported, including a request for a “Santa PJ selfie”.

He also regularly joked about Spanx, telling the woman she looks “attractive” in them.

In another, Horner starts by asking if he can make a “confession”.

He then describes a trip on a private jet to Dubai where he claims that the woman got him “out of control”.

It was reported that the Red Bull chief – who has won 13 world titles since heading the team as a 31-year-old in 2005 – had been hauled in for crisis talks with F1 bosses.

The tension was palpable down in the paddock, with Red Bull team members avoiding mentioning the simmering scandal, other than the odd whisper.

Horner’s wife Geri Halliwell was left “heartbroken and humiliated” after hundreds of sexts sent by her hubby to a female employee were leaked.

The Spice Girl, 51, touched down in Bahrain on Thursday night just as the bombshell messages began to spread around the globe.

Geri reportedly refused to see her husband after his sext leak but was talked into it by his family.

She was said to be adamant about not seeing her husband, but Horner’s mother pleaded with her to publicly support him as a gesture of solidarity, The Mirror reported.

A source close to the pop star, who was on a Bahrain-bound private jet when the messages emerged, told The Sun: “Geri is heartbroken and feels utterly humiliated. She trusted him when he tried to play down the scandal.

“He always told her he’d done nothing wrong. This will really hurt Geri, who has put everything into their marriage.”

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It comes as

• Horner broke his silence after the string of shock texts to a female colleague were leaked.
• Geri Halliwell’s marriage to Christian Horner is said to be “in question” following the sext leak
• The Spice Girl is said to have “felt like a fool” after Horner played down sexting claims
• Geri was “left humiliated” as she faces the “worst PR crisis of her career”
• A mole close to the Red Bull Racing camp allegedly detonated the Christian Horner sexting scandal in a bid to oust the F1 team boss
• The Red Bull Racing boss was cleared of sending improper texts to a female employee a day before the bombshell leak

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Meanwhile, The Sun has learned that Geri knew of the female employee at the centre of the texting scandal. A Red Bull insider said she even approved of the woman working in Horner’s team.

It was also claimed yesterday that the employee was “unhappy” after the messages were leaked and believed the probe into his behaviour had been “one-sided”.

A friend said: “We speak every day and she’s very unhappy – of course. In her way of thinking it’s all very one-sided and she has been crucified.”

It comes after a mole close to the Red Bull Racing camp allegedly detonated the Christian Horner sexting scandal in a bid to oust the F1 team boss, The Sun can reveal.

Red Bull are investigating claims that an unknown player connected to the team orchestrated the WhatsApp leak and acted as a “puppet master”.

The anonymous release came a day after team principal Horner was cleared of sending improper texts to a female employee.

An F1 insider told The Sun: “Rumours are swirling at Red Bull that there’s a mole in their ranks, someone who has it in for Christian.

“The leak came as a shock. Someone has a vendetta against Christian.

“That person acted like a puppet master.

“It seems to have been calculated to cause maximum damage to Christian’s career, humiliating him just 24 hours before the F1 season begins.

“He believes someone set out to destroy him professionally and personally.

“But the team stands firmly behind Christian and everyone’s working towards a common goal.”

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A calm Christian talking to fellow Red Bull staff ahead of this afternoon’s race[/caption]

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Horner arrived on his own at the Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday[/caption]

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Christian Horner had hundreds of sexts sent by him to a female employee leaked[/caption]

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Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen arriving at the Bahrain Grand Prix[/caption]

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TheRed Bull Racing team principal was seen on his phone ahead of Practice 3 at the Bahrain International Circuit[/caption]

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Christian Horner, left, speaks with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen[/caption]

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Horner pictured during the third free practice session at the Bahrain International Circuit[/caption]

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Horner speaking to FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem[/caption]