David Coulthard can keep his job as a consultant with Red Bull even though he is the new full-time F1 commentator for British television.
The 39-year-old Scot saw out his grand prix career with the Austrian team until 2009, when he retired and became a BBC pundit.
For 2011, he is moving alongside fellow former driver Martin Brundle into the race commentary box, raising suggestions his contract with Red Bull might be a conflict of interest.
"David Coulthard will not be asked to drop or suspend his ties with Red Bull in the interests of impartiality," a BBC spokeswoman told the Scottish newspaper Daily Record’s Sunday edition.
"We take steps to ensure that none of the off-air relationships that our talent may have can compromise on-air activity," she added.
Red Bull and Coulthard declined to comment.