FORMULA One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has been charged by German prosecutors for alleged bribery in connection with the sale of a stake in the sport.
Mr Ecclestone, who built up the sport into a multibillion-pound business, has been under investigation since a German banker was jailed for eight and a half years for not paying tax on an illegal payment from him worth $44 million (£29m).
The British businessman told a Munich court he felt pressured into paying the cash in 2006 because he was worried that Gerhard Gribkowsky would report him to UK tax authorities.
Mr Eccelstone said: "The lawyers have accepted an indictment. It means they have to reply to the indictment which they are strenuously doing."
He said he had yet to read the indictment as it was being translated, but he added: "They are alleging I bribed someone." He said he had done nothing illegal.
Mr Gribkowsky was in charge of managing the sale of BayernLB's stake in the Formula One business.
In addition to taking the money from Mr Ecclestone, prosecutors said during the trial that Mr Gribkowsky used BayernLB's funds to pay the F1 chief a commission of $41.4m (£27m) and agreed to pay a further $25m (£16m) to Bambino Trust, a company with which Ecclestone was affiliated.
Mr Ecclestone told the court he deserved a commission for the sale.
Mr Gribkowsky, who largely admitted the charges, was found guilty last year of corruption, tax evasion and breach of trust.
Mr Ecclestone's lawyers said they would respond to the charges shortly.
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