Red Bull announced today that Christian Horner has been released from his operational duties as Team Principal with immediate effect and his wife Geri Halliwell has been left devastated by the news.
The Formula One team confirmed Laurent Mekies will take over as CEO of Red Bull Racing.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Red Bull said: "Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing."
The announcement included comments from Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Red Bull's Corporate Projects and Investments, who thanked Horner for his contributions to the team during his tenure.
Geri Halliwell is said to be standing by her husband
GETTYA source close to the family has revealed that Geri Halliwell has made a "big decision" to support her husband following his departure from Red Bull, despite being privately troubled by the situation.
"Geri is going to stand by her man and is supporting him fully. Image means so much to her, but behind closed doors she isn't happy about the attention this brings," the source told the Mirror.
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The insider explained that whilst the former Spice Girl is publicly backing Horner through this latest career development, the decision has left her torn between her head and her heart.
The source emphasised that maintaining her public image remains a significant concern for Halliwell amid the renewed scrutiny.
Horner and Halliwell have been married since 2015 and share an eight-year-old son, Montague.
The couple have a blended family, with Halliwell mother to 18-year-old daughter Bluebell from a previous relationship, whilst Horner shares daughter Olivia with his ex-wife Beverley Allen.
Christian Horner was sacked by Red Bull on Wednesday morningReutersThe departure follows a turbulent year for Horner, who faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague in 2024.
He denied the claims and was cleared following a three-week investigation by Red Bull.
However, the matter was complicated when messages allegedly exchanged between Horner and a Red Bull Formula One team member were leaked less than 24 hours after the investigation concluded.
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The source revealed that Halliwell fears the exit will inevitably draw comparisons to last year's scandal.
"Image means so much to Geri and she knows everyone will relate it back to the leaked messages and what went on last year, so it's not easy for her," they said.
Geri Halliwell is said to be devastated by the news
GETTYAccording to a source who spoke to The Sun during the 2024 investigation, the allegations had initially shocked Halliwell.
"People think Geri was just blindly standing by her man through the whole thing, but it's not like that at all," the insider claimed.
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