Writing was really on the wall after message scandal

HALF an hour after Max Verstappen had crossed the Silverstone finishing line — almost a minute behind Lando Norris — Christian Horner held his final media conference as team principal of Red Bull Racing.

- By Andy Dunn

There was no flash bulbs, no theatre, no grand announcements - just a huddle in a corner of his team’s motorhome.

He was subdued, to say the least.

Let’s face it, Horner's days at Red Bull were numbered once the messaging scandal broke last year.

It was alleged he had sent inappropriate texts to a female employee, but a three-week internal investigation into the husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell exonerated him.

In fact, after screenshots of the alleged WhatsApp messages were leaked, Christian Horner survived another investigation into possible coercive behaviour.