Female junior colleague at the center of Christian Horner’s sexting scandal turns out to be a university graduate who climbed the motorsport ranks before working with Red Bull F1 boss – as new details emerge
The woman at the center of Christian Horner’s sexual misconduct allegations, which threaten to blow up the F1 Red Bull racing team, worked for RedBull for four years, MailOnline can reveal.
The attractive blue-eyed blonde’s claims against 50-year-old Horner have not only lit a fuse under the highly successful motor racing team, but also under Horner’s marriage to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
The woman, whom MailOnline is not naming, was identified in a piece published today by BusinessF1 Magazine.
Sources claim that Horner started developing a ‘superiority complex at Red Bull’ last year.
The BusinessF1 piece claims: ‘There were incidents of Horner sending her text messages during Grand Prix weekends asking her to come to his room.
Christian Horner (pictured) is at the center of sexual misconduct allegations that threaten to blow up Red Bull’s F1 racing team
Horner kisses his Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell before the Bahrain Grand Prix last week
Sources claim that Horner started developing a ‘superiority complex at Red Bull’ last year
Horner was cleared of misconduct last month after an internal investigation at Red Bull into ‘coercive behavior’ towards the colleague. However, messages leaked between the two.
The leak of messages appears to show that Horner sent her suggestive texts and intimate photos, believed to be key evidence in her complaint, to Red Bull GmbH. There were reportedly more than 100 text messages and photos.
According to the article, the woman who studied at the University of Edinburgh and has a wealthy background, started working in motorsport in the mid-2000s after being hired during her summer holidays, and then as an intern after graduating.
Initially she enjoyed the job at Red Bull, especially the travel and excitement of the F1 grid.
But sources close to her claim that Horner’s attitude changed after a few years and that she did not know how to deal with the change in their relationship.
“At first she was flattered, then shocked by the personal implications,” it was claimed.
The new allegations emerged as images emerged of scandal-hit Horner having a blazing row with his nemesis Jos Verstappen, the father of Red Bull’s star driver Max.
Red Bull has denied claims made by an F1 trade magazine about Horner in a 19-page investigation that names the female employee he allegedly texted
The new allegations emerged as footage emerged of scandal-hit Horner having a blazing row with his nemesis Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull’s star driver Max
Horner and his wife Geri Halliwell presented a united front during the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday
However, Horner’s efforts to put the scandal behind him were hampered by the publication of the lengthy investigation into the matter by BusinessF1.
The article makes a series of new allegations against Horner and documents the apparent power struggle at the top of Red Bull.
Sources close to Horner have dismissed the piece as ‘full of inaccuracies’, but it could be seized upon by his critics.
Chief among these was Verstappen’s father Jos, who has warned that the ongoing scandal was ‘tearing the team apart’.
Footage has emerged of the pair having an animated exchange at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.
The article claims that when the woman first made her claims, Horner’s first call was to former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, 93, for advice.
Despite the off-track controversy, Horner’s Red Bull team had a perfect season on track, with Max Verstappen winning the season opener ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
However, Max’s father Jos has emerged as one of Horner’s most vocal critics, with the pair being filmed having a heated exchange after qualifying on Friday evening.
Horner and Geri Halliwell after Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhi
Jos (right) told Mail Sport that Red Bull would ‘explode’ if Horner retained his team lead role
Some members of Horner are said to have speculated in recent weeks whether V snr may have been involved in attempts to oust him. The implication would be that the Dutchman even had a hand in the email leak.
Verstappen has denied the claims, saying: ‘That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that if Max is doing so well here?’
“There is tension here as he (Horner) stays in position,” Jos told MailSport exclusively.
‘The team is in danger of being torn apart. It cannot continue as it is. It will explode. He plays the victim, while he is the one causing the problems.’
De Telegraaf reported that Verstappen’s father has told friends that his son will leave Red Bull if he has to.
Verstappen Snr spoke to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff during the weekend of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Mercedes has an empty seat for the 2025 season, although Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028 and currently drives for the dominant team in Formula 1.