Horner declares business as normal despite allegations

MILTON KEYNES, England : Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said it was business as usual as a company inquiry into undisclosed allegations about his conduct hung over the Formula One champions' 2024 car launch on Thursday.

The Briton was as much in the spotlight as the shiny RB20 machine as he broke silence and faced the media for the first time since the emergence of accusations that threaten his future.

Taking centre stage at the Red Bull factory for a presentation celebrating the team's 20 years in Formula One, with seven drivers' titles and six constructors' championships, Horner suggested the future looked bright.

The elephant in the room was not ignored for long, with Horner carrying out television interviews and media sessions and making clear he was still planning to be around for the long term.

"I deny the allegations, for me it's business as normal, I'm confident in that. If I wasn't, I wouldn’t be here," the 50-year-old told reporters.

"I don't want to talk about the process. My focus and commitment is to the people and to the team and making sure that we're in the best shape possible for the season ahead," added the sport's longest-serving principal.

"You can see that we've got a car that looks a great evolution from last year and we're going to have some very competitive rivals that are looking to beat us. My focus is very much on Bahrain next week."

Testing starts on Feb. 21 before the March 2 season-opener in Bahrain. Red Bull won all but one of the races last season with Dutch driver Max Verstappen taking his third title in a row.

Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, would not discuss the allegations against him or a hearing that took place last week, and reporters were warned