Red Bull Principal Christian Horner Says Honorary Award from King Charles Is ‘Very Humbling’

 Christian Horner, Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Red Bull Racing and wife Geri Horner after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday Dec. 18, 2024. (AP)
Christian Horner, Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Red Bull Racing and wife Geri Horner after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday Dec. 18, 2024. (AP)
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Red Bull Principal Christian Horner Says Honorary Award from King Charles Is ‘Very Humbling’

 Christian Horner, Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Red Bull Racing and wife Geri Horner after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday Dec. 18, 2024. (AP)
Christian Horner, Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Red Bull Racing and wife Geri Horner after being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday Dec. 18, 2024. (AP)

Christian Horner said it was “very humbling” to receive an honorary award from King Charles III on Wednesday, which came after a Formula 1 season that saw the Red Bull team principal cleared of accusations of inappropriate conduct by an employee.

Horner was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the king's traditional New Year's List for his services to motorsport. He received the award at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

It capped a year in which Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won a fourth straight Formula 1 title, but where the results on the track were sometimes overshadowed by the accusations against Horner by a team employee.

The 51-year-old Horner was cleared by an independent counsel of the initial complaint of inappropriate conduct in March, and Red Bull dismissed an appeal in August.

“Obviously a very proud moment to be awarded this CBE,” Horner told journalists outside the palace after the ceremony, standing alongside his wife, singer Geri Halliwell. “It's very humbling.”

Horner said he and the king had time for a quick chat about F1 as well.

“He was interested in how the season went, obviously followed some of the races,” Horner said. “So it was good to catch up.”



Mbappe Inconsistency 'Normal', Says Real Madrid's Ancelotti

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
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Mbappe Inconsistency 'Normal', Says Real Madrid's Ancelotti

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)

French superstar Kylian Mbappe's "ups and downs" are to be expected because of Real Madrid's demanding season and the nature of players of his quality, said coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The striker performed poorly against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and previous La Liga match against Real Betis, just days after scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City.

Mbappe struggled in his first few months at Madrid after joining last summer from Paris Saint-Germain before bursting into form, but his last couple of appearances have caused concern among fans.

"What we saw is that against Atletico he did not do what he did against City," Ancelotti told a news conference ahead of Rayo Vallecano's visit in La Liga on Sunday.

"Against City he scored three and against Atletico he did not score.

"I think on a general level he is doing very well and we're very happy with him, and we take into account -- and he takes into account -- that he is not always at his best level.

"The game against Atletico was not the best version of him."

Real Madrid beat their city rivals 2-1 in the first leg of the last 16 tie, with the return on Wednesday at the Metropolitano stadium.

In the play-off round against Premier League champions City, Mbappe netted four goals over the two legs as Madrid won 6-3 on aggregate.

The 26-year-old striker boasts 28 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions.

"In such a demanding season (inconsistency) is quite normal, above all in a player with such quality," said Ancelotti.

"Players with quality have more ups and downs because it's something genetic, the player that has great quality finds it harder to have consistency, and that's what happened to him in that game.

"That said he's doing very well, and if we're in the Champions League last 16, it's because he's scored four goals in the (previous) tie."

Madrid are third in La Liga, three points behind leaders Barcelona, who face Osasuna on Saturday.

Los Blancos centre-back Antonio Rudiger may miss the Rayo clash through illness, Spanish media reported.

"We're ready to fight in all games and in all competitions," continued Ancelotti, who said the defeat by Betis a week ago came because the team had little time to prepare.

"I'm much calmer ahead of the game tomorrow because we've had five days of rest."