We Made A Mistake, Says Helmut Marko About Liam Lawson's Dropping By Red Bull

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