Geri Halliwell’s friends believe she will be ‘absolutely humiliated’ following Red Bull’s decision to sack Christian Horner as team principal on Wednesday.
The decision has sent shockwaves around the Formula One world and comes 17 months after Horner was accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a female employee.
The Briton always denied any wrongdoing and was twice cleared internally. Geri stood by the 51-year-old, with the pair putting on a united front in the first race of last season in Bahrain.
Now, however, Horner’s time as team principal is over after a glittering stint that saw Red Bull claim eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championships.
According to the Daily Mail, friends of Geri believe the former Spice Girl will feel ‘absolutely humiliated’ by her husband’s exit from the side.
A source said: “Geri loved Christian for Christian.
“But she also loved being the wife of ‘Mr F1’. It undeniably brought her gravitas.
“Those who know Geri and don’t particularly like her sneer about her behind her back for this, but she had what she’d wanted since she was a young woman growing up in working-class Watford.
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“She has the countryside homes and the successful husband and of course more money than she knew what to do with. But now it has all come to a crashing end.
“Geri wanted all of the stories about the texts and speculation about her marriage to go away, and then she had this blissful year or so where the world moved on and she could go back to enjoying her new life.
“But now his sacking has put it all back at the forefront and she will find it tough.”
It is unclear why Horner has been sacked. He always denied any wrongdoing with the female employee and was adamant he’d clear his name, which he did.
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Another insider was quoted as saying: “But what this [Christian’s dismissal] has done is resurrect all of the back story to her and Christian which doesn’t help Geri’s brand. “She will hate it so much.”
Sources close to Horner believe he will be hurt and upset at his departure of the team.
There’s talk of a move to Ferrari, but the Briton reportedly intends to take a break from F1 in order to spend more time with Geri and their family.
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Meanwhile, speaking last year, Horner thanked Geri for her support.
“What happened at the start of the year felt like a perfect storm,” said the F1 supremo.
“In life, it is a great lesson that the more success you have, the more of a target you become. Anything that can be used to unsettle and destabilise you and the team and the business.
“What disappointed me more than anything was the steps that people went to in order to try and achieve that.
“You just stay true to yourself and I am very fortunate that I have got a tremendous family.”
He then said Geri had been ‘absolutely outstanding’ throughout the ordeal.