Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport adviser, admitted that the team made a mistake regarding the performance of their driver, Liam Lawson. Marko explained that Lawson’s poor performance during the first two races of the season led to his demotion. According to Marko, Lawson lacked self-confidence, which prevented him from showing his true potential.
Lawson’s demotion and Tsunoda’s return
Liam Lawson, after disappointing results at the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix, was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda in Red Bull’s main team. Lawson, who qualified poorly and had a rough start to the season, has been sent back to Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls. Marko noted that Lawson’s lack of confidence was the primary reason for his demotion, but he emphasized that the move is not a permanent setback for Lawson’s career. He will have a chance to recover and possibly rejoin Red Bull in the future.
The Tsunoda decision and expectations
Marko explained that Tsunoda, after a strong performance in the first two races of the season, was given the chance to prove himself with Red Bull until the end of the season. Marko mentioned Tsunoda had grown into a stronger and more confident driver. He also acknowledged that Tsunoda’s previous struggles were partly due to the challenges of racing with a difficult car, which should now benefit him with Red Bull.
Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz decision
Marko also reflected on the decision not to sign Carlos Sainz last year. At the time, Sainz was available after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton for 2025. Red Bull opted to re-sign Sergio Perez, believing he was still performing well. However, Perez’s form has since declined, leading to the team replacing him with Lawson. Marko admitted that hindsight makes it easier to question the decision, but at the time, Perez had been performing well.
Verstappen’s future with Red Bull
Marko discussed the possibility of Max Verstappen considering leaving Red Bull if the team’s car performance doesn’t improve. Despite this, Marko is optimistic that Red Bull can fix the issues with their car and secure a fifth title for Verstappen. He mentioned that the team is focused on improving the car’s drivability to help Verstappen achieve this goal.
