CHRISTIAN HORNER’S dramatic sacking as boss of Red Bull came just days after his first wife died following a lengthy cancer battle.
Beverley Allen, 58, who is also the mother of Horner’s daughter Olivia, 11, died last Monday two years after being diagnosed with eye cancer.
InstagramBeverly Allen (pictured), the first wife of Christian Horner[/caption]
AlamyFormer Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and ex-partner Beverley Allen[/caption]
Sky Sports/Red BullChristian Horner delivered an emotional farewell speech[/caption]
InstagramHer death comes just 10 days before Horner was dramatically sacked by Red Bull[/caption]
The pair had been together for 14 years before Horner married Geri Halliwell in 2015.
One of Beverley’s friends told MailOnline: “Beverley was a lovely woman and it is so cruel what has happened to her.
“She found out she had eye cancer a couple of years ago and she was aware that it wasn’t going to be a very good prognosis but it is still a devastating shock.
“Beverley was loved by everyone who knew her. It’s just heartbreaking.”
The pair were together throughout his rise to F1 stardom throughout the early and mid 2000s.
And days after her death, Horner was dramatically sacked by Red Bull after leading the team to multiple constructors’ championships.
The unceremonious firing comes after he was previously embroiled in a sexting scandal over messages he allegedly sent to a female employee.
Horner denied the accusations throughout the scandal.
Alongside the F1 boss, many of Horner’s allies were also fired on a day that sent shockwaves through the sport.
The move was part of a clear-out by the team’s Austrian parent company, with Horner giving an emotional leaving speech to hundreds of his staff at their Milton Keynes HQ.
Many had been appointed to their jobs by the 51-year-old team chief, and a source called the relationships a “double-edged sword”.
InstagramBeverley lived in a Grade II listed property in the Cotswolds following her split from Horner[/caption]
Horner was replaced immediately by Frenchman Laurent Mekies, 48, who has run Red Bull’s sister team Racing Bulls since the start of 2024.
Horner will remain employed by the company, where he is thought to make £9million-a-year, but is effectively on indefinite gardening leave.
Horner was the longest-reigning F1 boss, having taken charge of the Austrian team when it was bought from Jaguar in 2005.
In May, he batted away rumours he would join Ferrari, declaring: “It’s always flattering to be associated with other teams, but my commitment is with Red Bull.”
In a tearful farewell speech at the team’s Milton Keynes base, Horner received lengthy ovations from his colleagues.
What is eye cancer?
Eye cancer – also referred to as ocular cancer – is very rare.
Around 880 cases are diagnosed in the UK each year.
There are a number of different types of cancer that affect the eyes, including:
Eye melanoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Lymphoma
Retinoblastoma – a childhood cancer
As well as affecting the eyeball, cancer can also sometimes develop in the tissues surrounding your eye or spread to the eye from other parts of the body, such as the lungs or breasts.
Eye cancer does not always cause obvious symptoms and may only be picked up during a routine eye test.
Symptoms of eye cancer can include:
Shadows, flashes of light, or wiggly lines in your vision
Blurred vision
A dark patch in your eye that’s getting bigger
Partial or total loss of vision
Bulging of one eye
A lump on your eyelid or in your eye that’s increasing in size
Eye irritation that is not going away
Pain in or around your eye, although this is rare
These symptoms can also be caused by more minor eye conditions, so they’re not necessarily a sign of cancer.
But it’s important to get the symptoms checked by a doctor as soon as possible.
People with light coloured eyes, pale skin and unusual moles are at higher risk of developing eye melanoma.
Sunbed use and spending lots of time in the sun can also up your risk.
Source: NHS, Cancer Research UK
Horner said: “Yesterday, I was informed by Red Bull that operationally I would no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward.
“I will still remain employed by the company, but, operationally the baton will be handed over.
“It came as a shock to myself. I’ve had a chance to reflect over the last 12 hours and wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news.
“And to express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20-and-a-half years that I’ve been here.
“When I arrived 20 years ago, with a few less grey hairs, I walked into a team and did not know what to expect but I was immediately welcomed and we started to build what became a powerhouse in F1.
“Watching and being part of this team, has been the biggest privilege of my life.”
GettyChristian Horner of Red Bull Racing and his wife Geri Halliwell are seen after F1 Grand Prix of Monaco[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
