Helmut Marko, senior advisor to the Austrian team, admitted that putting Liam Lawson alongside Max Verstappen was a mistake. This came after Lawson’s demotion and Yuki Tsunoda’s promotion, just two races into 2025.
Lawson struggled from the start. In Australia, a turbo failure in the third practice session set him back. The team needed a strong second driver. Marko confessed, “We chose Lawson unanimously, but under pressure, he couldn’t deliver from day one. He went into a downward spiral, like a boxer who’s been knocked down – it’s tough to recover.”
The team initially hesitated to promote Tsunoda due to his inconsistency. However, with Lawson underperforming, a change was necessary. Marko emphasized their commitment to helping Lawson gain experience, possibly with the Racing Bulls, and left the door open for a potential return to Red Bull in the future.
Recently, the Red Bull team met to discuss Max Verstappen’s criticisms of the car. Marko’s goal was to ensure Max felt comfortable with the technicians and to plan the next steps. Verstappen’s concerns would be addressed calmly, taking into account the challenges of driving the RB21. The Racing Bull, while easier to handle and quick in qualifying, lagged behind the Red Bull Racing car in races.