S Poddar
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, has owned up to the team making a mistake in Liam Lawson’s role, which resulted in his sudden downgrade after only two races this season.
New Zealand’s 23-year-old pilot, who partnered Verstappen at the beginning, performed weakly in early rounds, earning him a substitute in Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda courtesy of Red Bull. Marko linked Lawson’s poor performance to lack of confidence.
“He could not demonstrate his full potential due to loss of confidence,” said Marko of BBC Radio 5 Live.
Lawson’s season got off to a poor beginning—he qualified 18th in Australia after crashing out and was at the rear of the grid in the sprint and main race in China. Meanwhile, Verstappen secured second in Melbourne and finished fourth in Shanghai, testifying to the difference in performance between the two.
Despite the setback, Lawson is optimistic about returning to Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls. In an Instagram post, he was thankful for his experience thus far: “Being a Red Bull Racing driver has been a childhood dream come true. I thank everything that brought me here, and the people who have supported me—thank you, it means everything.”
Marko asserted that Tsunoda will stay with the team for the remainder of the season to showcase himself, based on his recent development and greater confidence.
Red Bull decided to switch before the Japanese Grand Prix—a track Lawson knows—because they feared his dented confidence would affect his performance. Marko said the team required two solid drivers to back up Verstappen’s championship bid and race strategies.
Brushing aside rumors that Lawson’s demotion was for life, Marko asserted that his F1 stint is by no means over. “He’s not out of Formula 1. Racing Bulls will give him the chance to rebuild,” he stated, recalling previous instances involving Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, who were able to bounce back following such career knocks.
Did Red Bull Overlook Sainz?
In retrospect, Marko admitted that Red Bull perhaps let one slip through its fingers with Carlos Sainz. Rather than signing the Spaniard, the team renewed Sergio Perez’s contract, a move predicated on his impressive beginning to the last season. Perez’s form declined precipitously, however, compelling Red Bull to rethink its driver roster.
Will Verstappen Stay?
Though Marko is certain that Red Bull can achieve a fifth title with Verstappen, he acknowledged that the Dutchman may opt to leave if the car is unable to stay competitive.
“Any of the best drivers have performance clauses in their contract. If we don’t deliver, they have options,” Marko admitted. But he assured that Verstappen and his engineers are already working to optimize the car to keep Red Bull on top.
Throughout the season, everyone will be looking at Red Bull’s driver selections—whether Tsunoda is able to prove himself worthy of his promotion and how Lawson deals with this disappointment. In the meantime, Verstappen appeared to have her say on the furore by ‘liking’ an Instagram post from ex-F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who referred to the decision as a “panic decision.”
