Drive to Survive is returning to Netflix for a seventh season to once again give motor racing fans behind-the-scenes access to the Formula 1 circus.
Like most years, the season has its fair share of drama, but more eyes might be on the show than usual due to the controversy surrounding Christian Horner in 2024, the boss of defending champions Red Bull.
Horner, 51, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, 52, was accused of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” by a female colleague in February 2024, which he strongly denied.
After a rigorous three-week investigation was conducted by an external lawyer, who interviewed Horner for nearly nine hours, Red Bull confirmed Horner had been cleared of all allegations.
However, WhatsApp texts allegedly sent between the two parties – some sexually suggestive – were leaked to the media 24 hours later, causing further speculation.
Despite the leaked material, Horner made a defiant appearance at the paddock in Bahrain throughout the race weekend in March alongside Geri to watch Max Verstappen scoop his first win of the season.
Horner said at the time: “I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I have always denied the allegations. I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way… I remain fully focused on the start of the season.”
Sources later told Closer that Geri, despite putting on a brave public face throughout the ordeal, found the experience incredibly hard. “She’s been through some of the most painful months of her life, sometimes wanting to retreat and never face the public again,” they said.
“For people to question the very thing she prides herself on and became famous for – girl power – and insinuate she should not have stood by him really stung and made all her insecurities resurface,” the source added.
Not everyone was so thrilled to have Horner remain in his position. Verstappen’s father Jos told the Daily Mail at the time that the Red Bull team was “in danger of being torn apart” if the boss stayed on.
“There is tension here while he remains in his position,” he claimed. “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”
Meanwhile, Horner’s accuser was reported to have been suspended from her job with full pay.
Although Horner refused to comment on the decision, he told reporters in light of Verstappen’s father’s comments: “I think it's in everybody's interest, collectively, that we've agreed to move on, to focus on the future.”
On 16 March, the female employee suspended by Red Bull following the Horner allegations submitted a formal appeal to Red Bull GmbH over their decision to clear Horner.
A day later, the racing team’s chief technology officer, Adrian Newey, announced he had quit the team and would leave the company in early 2025. Horner lost another team member: Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who had been part of Red Bull since 2006 and left to join the Audi F1 project, at the start of August.
A week later, Horner reportedly faced problems in his personal life and went on a “make or break” trip with Geri in a bid to “save” their nine year marriage, per Closer.
By August 8 – two days after his wife’s 52nd birthday – Horner was exonerated when the female colleagues' appeal against him regarding allegations of controlling behaviour was dismissed.
A statement from Red Bull GmbH said: “Earlier this year a complaint raised against Christian Horner was investigated.“That complaint was dealt with through the company’s grievance procedure by the appointment of an independent KC who dismissed the grievance. The complainant exercised the right to appeal, and the appeal was carried out by another independent KC.
“All stages of the appeal process have now been concluded, with the final outcome that the appeal is not upheld. The KC’s conclusions have been accepted and adopted by Red Bull. The internal process has concluded.
“The company respects the privacy of all its employees and will not be making further public comment on this matter at this time. Red Bull is committed to continuing to meet the highest workplace standards.”
At the opening of Drive to Survive's seventh season, we see Horner and his wife Geri in their country mansion home in Oxfordshire, sitting behind the wheel of their 4x4.
After recounting Red Bull’s record-breaking 2023 campaign, in which they won 21 out of 22 races, she prophetically warns him: “You never know what life’s going to bring.” But viewers will already know a whole lot of chaos is coming for Horner in season seven.
Formula 1: Drive to Survive season seven is released on Netflix on Friday (7 March).
