Red Bull Racing's new boss, Christian Horner, has warned Vitantonio Liuzzi, who won the 2004 F3000 Championship driving one of his Arden Motorsport cars, that he cannot expect any favouritism.

Earlier this week it was revealed that both Liuzzi and Christian Klien have been signed for 2005, though only one of them will line up on the grid in Melbourne alongside David Coulthard.

With Horner installed as new boss, following the sacking of Tony Purnell and David Pitchforth, many people expect the Englishman to favour his former driver. Not so, warns Horner.

"I know Vitantonio very well and he's a talented driver," he told Reuters. "He'll be judged on what he does in a Formula One car. We'll be looking at him and Christian Klien closely in forthcoming tests. We're in no rush to make a decision. Both are contracted Red Bull drivers anyway."

Speaking of his own move to Red Bull, having previously been linked with a possible buy-out of Jordan, Horner said: "For me it is the most logical progression into Formula One. We looked very closely at Jordan but we couldn't see that through to a conclusion.

"Red Bull wanted some changes in the company and I'm very well known to them from Formula 3000," he continued. "We've maintained good relations, they know who I am and what I'm about."