The new driver duo for Formula 1 at Red Bull Racing are called Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson, this has recently been announced. But as RTL/ntv and sport.de recently reported, Yuki Tsunoda from sister team Racing Bulls, who has been shuffling his hooves for a long time, also had a chance of getting the coveted seat. Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko now has the answer as to why it ended up being Lawson revealed in an exclusive interview.
Red Bull Racing and the Racing Bulls were the last teams in Formula 1 to recently announce their driver pairings for 2025. Liam Lawson replaces the sacked Sergio Pérez and will now drive alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Isack Hadjar replaces the vacant position at the sister team. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda is “only” staying with the Racing Bulls for the fifth year in a row.
The Japanese had calculated that he had a chance of getting the cockpit at Red Bull Racing, which had been vacant until recently. Like RTL/ntv and sport.de reported around the Pérez dismissal, Tsunoda was also a hot candidate to succeed the Mexican. In the end, as is well known, Lawson got the contract.
From Formula 1 reporter Felix Görner in an exclusive interview with RTL/ntv and sport.de When asked what spoke against Tsunoda, Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko became clear. “Tsunoda is definitely the faster of the two in terms of speed at the moment,” said Marko, referring to the comparison to Lawson, and added: “But he doesn’t have the necessary consistency and keeps making mistakes.”
Marko: Tsunoda “wasn’t entirely surprised”
The 81-year-old referred to the weekend in Mexico, where Tsunoda crashed in qualifying and the Grand Prix.
“In addition, there are his outbursts of anger, which have gotten significantly better, but remain a factor. Then he loses control,” Marko continued. Tsundo then “slows down and loses his focus,” said the motorsport consultant, putting his finger in the wound.
The bottom line was that Tsunoda was – at least currently – not found suitable for the cockpit at Red Bull Racing.
“We believe that it would cause great difficulties emotionally if Tsunoda, standing next to Max (Verstappen), realizes that he can’t beat him, maybe doesn’t even come close and it doesn’t go as he imagined,” explained Marko with reference to the Japanese hothead.
Marko: That’s what makes Lawson so strong
Tsunoda was “not entirely surprised” by the news that he wouldn’t get the cockpit, Marko admitted. “Somehow he expected this.”
Meanwhile, Lawson is the “mentally strongest of our juniors,” emphasized Marko. “He only has relatively little Grand Prix experience,” said the 81-year-old about the eleven-time GP participant, but the “mental strength” is there to drive alongside Verstappen and to accept that you have no place against the Dutchman will see. In addition, the New Zealander still has “potential for further development” and is “down-to-earth”.
Marko’s expectation for Lawson was that he not place more than three tenths away from Verstappen in qualifying.