Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, has admitted that the team may have "made a mistake" in their handling of Liam Lawson's promotion and subsequent demotion after just two races in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Lawson, who had been given the seat alongside Max Verstappen after Sergio Perez's exit, was dropped following disappointing performances in Australia and China. He has now been sent back to Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls, in a swap with Japan's Yuki Tsunoda. Speaking about the decision, Marko acknowledged that the team's approach might not have been ideal. "His performance was unfortunately not good enough, and that comes from self-confidence," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We were worried that his confidence was so damaged that he couldn't bring his normal performance."
The decision to swap Lawson with Tsunoda has left many wondering about Red Bull's long-term vision. At the end of the 2024 season, they had chosen Lawson over Tsunoda, only to reverse that decision within two races of the new campaign. Marko explained that Tsunoda had "made a big step" and had become a more confident and well-rounded driver.
"It's strange-after four years, now in his fifth year, he has a much stronger personality," Marko said. "He did two very good races, but his strategy didn't work at Racing Bulls."
However, critics argue that the move appears reactionary rather than strategic. Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde described it as a "panic move," a sentiment seemingly echoed by Red Bull's lead driver, Max Verstappen, who liked van der Garde's Instagram post.
While Marko insists that Lawson's return to Racing Bulls is "not a demotion" and that he still has a future in F1, history suggests otherwise. Gasly and Albon both rebuilt their careers after being sent back to the junior team, but they never returned to Red Bull's main lineup.
This isn't the first time Red Bull's driver decisions have been questioned. Last spring, they extended Sergio Perez's contract until the end of 2026, rather than pursuing Carlos Sainz, who became a free agent after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton. Perez started the 2024 season well but struggled later, leading Red Bull to pay him off and replace him with Lawson. Now, after just two races, that choice has also been reversed.
Marko admitted that with hindsight, Red Bull might have acted differently. "At the beginning of the year, Sergio Perez finished second twice and was performing," he said. "It just came later that Sergio had problems with the car, and his performance dropped."
With Tsunoda now in the second Red Bull seat, the Japanese driver has until the end of the season to prove himself. Marko made it clear that this wasn't a temporary experiment. "We believe he can do the job," he stated.
While the focus has been on Lawson and Tsunoda, Marko subtly hinted at a much bigger issue-keeping Verstappen happy. The Dutchman has won three consecutive world titles with Red Bull, but Marko admitted that if the team's performance declines, his star driver could explore other options. "All the top drivers have performance clauses in their contracts," Marko revealed. "So we have to make sure Max gets a car where he can win."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)