Christian Horner says he has support of team, family and wife Geri

Embattled Christian Horner has said his “focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing” as he started the Formula One season by walking hand-in-hand with wife Geri Horner at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Spice Girls singer was seen sharing a kiss with the Red Bull team principal, who faces allegations relating to the leak of hundreds of WhatsApp messages which appeared to be written by him to a female colleague.

The build-up to the first round of the Formula One campaign in Bahrain has been overshadowed by allegations whirling around Horner and his position as Red Bull team principal.

The messages came on Thursday, 24 hours after Horner was cleared to continue as Red Bull head following an internal probe into “inappropriate behaviour” by the F1 team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH.

The 50-year-old has always denied the claims.

An emotional Horner said: “I have the support of an incredible family, an incredible wife, an incredible team and everybody within that team.

“And my focus is going racing, winning racing and doing the best I can.

“It was a day about starting the season in the best possible way. My focus is on this team, my family, my wife and racing.”

Horner was also seen holding hands with his wife after the race.

He was speaking after watching Red Bull driver Max Verstappen race to victory ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in second.

Asked if he is confident he will stay on as Red Bull team principal for the rest of the season, Horner replied: “Absolutely. Absolutely.”

In a public display of unity with wife Geri ahead of the race, Horner had slipped out of the back of Red Bull’s hospitality suite through a gate to meet her as she arrived at the main entrance of the paddock.

They then held hands as they walked