Christian Horner’s Wife Geri Halliwell’s Two-Word Advice When Red Bull Boss Drove Sebastian Vettel’s Title-Winning Car

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has won just about everything there is to win in F1 as a team boss. But he has very little experience driving an actual F1 car. So in July 2024, when he drove Sebastian Vettel’s championship-winning RB7 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS), it was the first time that he took a Red Bull car out for a spin. It was also the first time since 1993 — when he drove a Lotus at Hethel — that he was piloting an F1 car.

Horner was gearing up for Red Bull’s 20th anniversary celebrations at the FoS. He was initially scheduled to drive Sebastian Vettel’s 2012 title-winning RB8. However, he first got behind the wheel of the RB7 — the German’s 2011 car.

Looking at the tricky task her 51-year-old husband was about to undertake, Geri Halliwell had two words of advice for Horner. In a video uploaded by the Red Bull on their official YouTube account, the former Spice Girl was heard saying, “Don’t crash!”

Naturally, even Horner was a bit nervous about stepping into the powerful single-seater. Managing the fastest drivers in the world, and trying to emulate what they do are two completely different things after all.

Thankfully, nothing untoward happened. The test with the RB7 went smooth, and Horner later drove up the iconic Festival of Speed hill in the RB8.

Christian Horner driving the RB8! pic.twitter.com/BPJ7ViCmaY

— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) July 14, 2024

It was a fun afternoon for Horner and everyone associated with Red Bull. The 20th anniversary allowed them to reflect on their achievements in the sport so far. Though Horner did not drive the RB6 that day, he would perhaps rank this car the highest among all of Red Bull’s championship-winning hardware over the years.

How Horner developed Red Bull into a title-winning team

Red Bull made their F1 debut in 2005 after purchasing the struggling Jaguar project the year before. Not many backed them for much success, dismissing their effort as merely an energy drink brand seeking marketing opportunities.

What’s more, Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull’s owner, had entrusted his F1 project to a 32-year-old ‘nobody’ in Horner. However, what unfolded just five seasons later, silenced most doubters.

By bringing legendary designer Adrian Newey into their ranks, Red Bull set the stage for dominance. In 2010, Newey incorporated the game-changing double-diffuser on the RB6, helping Vettel secure the first of his four consecutive titles.

Much of the credit must go to Horner, who played an instrumental role in guiding the team to its first era of dominance. He was pivotal in bringing Newey into the project and securing drivers like Mark Webber and Vettel, who rose to the challenge.

The collective effort led to Red Bull’s dominance from 2010 to 2013. Their reign resumed in 2022 with the team securing two consecutive Constructors’ titles, before McLaren won it last season.