Team principal Christian Horner hinted he will stay at Red Bull following an investigation on his conduct.
News broke early January that Horner was under investigation for “inappropriate behavior,” but he had denied those allegations at the time.
“After the company was informed of certain allegations, an independent investigation has been launch,” a Red Bull spokesman had told dutch outlet Telegraaf back then.
“This process, which is already underway, is being carried out by an external, specialized lawyer.”
The company did not specify why Horner was being investigated.
Sources had told BBC Sport last week that the team principal was “not expected to survive in his role” inside Red Bull.
They had also said that people shouldn’t expect a quick outcome: “This is not a trial and we are not going to have an answer and an outcome by the end of the day.
“This is not something that is going to be rectified that quickly.”
“People are expecting this to be over before the start of the F1 season, but that just isn’t going to happen.”
Amidst the silence, Horner spoke to the media prior to the launch of the RB20 on Thursday, and said that his investigation has “inevitably” been “a distraction, but the team are very much together.”
“Everybody is focused on the season ahead, so it’s been business as usual. The support has been fantastic.”
When asked about how the probe affected him personally, the British team principal avoided getting into much detail and said that his focus “is very much on the season ahead,” and repeated that it has “been business as normal.”
“There is an investigation that I’m complying and working with fully, but that is very much going on in the background while we work on the season ahead,” he said.
However, a source told The Sun that Geri Horner, Christian’s wife, “has been in floods of tears all weekend while looking after her kids,” which denotes the personal implications faced by the team principal and his family due to the allegations.
“She is insisting Christian has done nothing wrong.”
Additionally, German outlet Motorsport-Total reported that the team principal was informally encouraged to step down from his role voluntarily, but resisted.
Horner also told the media on Thursday that the team is “gearing up for the season and are in very good shape,” and that he is “looking forward to being in Bahrain next week,” hinting he will be there fulfilling his role.
With special thanks to James O’Connor from Pit Debrief.