Embattled Christian Horner has said his "focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing" as he started the Formula One season by walking hand-in-hand with wife Geri at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Spice Girls singer was seen sharing a kiss with the Red Bull team principal, who faces allegations relating to the leak of hundreds of WhatsApp messages which appeared to be written by him to a female colleague. The build-up to the first round of the Formula One campaign in Bahrain had been overshadowed by allegations whirling around Horner and his position as Red Bull team principal.
The messages came on Thursday, 24 hours after Horner was cleared to continue as Red Bull head following an internal probe into "inappropriate behaviour" by the F1 team's parent company, Red Bull GmbH. The 50-year-old has always denied the claims.
An emotional Horner said: "I have the support of an incredible family, an incredible wife, an incredible team and everybody within that team. And my focus is going racing, winning racing and doing the best I can. It was a day about starting the season in the best possible way. My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing."
Horner was also seen holding hands with his wife after the race. He was speaking after watching Red Bull driver Max Verstappen race to victory ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in second. Asked if he is confident he will stay on as Red Bull team principal for the rest of the season, Horner replied: "Absolutely. Absolutely."
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In a public display of unity with wife Geri ahead of the race, Horner had slipped out of the back of Red Bull's hospitality suite through a gate to meet her as she arrived at the main entrance of the paddock. They then held hands as they walked through the paddock to Red Bull's hospitality suite. During the short walk they were mobbed by photographers and TV crews.
The couple were all smiles at lunch where they were later joined by Red Bull's head of communication and former F1 team principal Flavio Briatore and Red Bull's majority shareholder, and Horner ally, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya. Horner headed for the race grid about 45 minutes before the 3pm start, giving Geri a kiss as he left.
Christian and Geri Horner after Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix (PA Wire/PA Images)Geri has been married to him since 2015. The 51-year-old singer has a son, Montague George Hector Horner, with Horner. She also has a daughter, Bluebell Madonna, born in 2006, with former partner and screenwriter Sacha Gervasi.
The WhatsApp messages were sent from an anonymous email account to 149 members of the F1 paddock including the president of the sport's governing body Mohammed ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and the grid's nine other team principals, as well as members of the media.
Horner continues to operate in his role as team principal and chief executive, although it is understood there is considerable unease among the team's plethora of sponsors and partners. He spoke only once about the latest allegations as he made his way from Red Bull's hospitality suite to the team's garage on Friday. "I am not going to comment on anonymous speculation from unknown sources," he said. When asked what comes next, Horner replied: "We go racing."
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