Following the decision to promote Yuki Tsunoda to the Milton Keynes-based outfit, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko insists that the Austro-British team was forced to act after two dismal races for Liam Lawson.
Following two tough race weekends for Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing have elected to make changes to their driver line-ups, promoting Yuki Tsunoda to the Milton Keynes-based outfit while the New Zealander will return to Racing Bulls from this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix onwards.
Since the announcement, the Japanese driver has completed a second seat fit as he has already performed one earlier in 2025 which had been necessary because he fulfils the role of reserve driver at Red Bull.
Tsunoda, who lives in Italy next to Racing Bull’s Faenza factory, also took part in a Honda event in its Aoyama headquarters where he said that he is welcoming the pressure associated with being Max Verstappen’s team-mate and driving Red Bull’s troublesome car.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s decision, Dr Helmut Marko insisted that while Tsunoda had “ups and downs”, the change to his management has recently allowed the Japanese driver to become more reliable and display a more consistent performance.
“Yuki Tsunoda is a fast driver, we know that, but he’s had his ups and downs. That’s why we thought Lawson was the better and stronger candidate. But Yuki has undergone a transformation. He changed his management, and in this situation, this was simply the best option.
“Because even in Suzuka, although Lawson knows the track, on the other hand Hadjar didn’t know China either and was immediately on pace, almost as fast as Yuki – at least in qualifying. So it was a downward spiral that we needed to break in order to give Lawson a future in his career.
“Yuki has had ups and downs – I remember the two crashes in Mexico, for example. He simply wasn’t as stable as he is now. Yuki is in his fifth year. And experience in such difficult conditions is an enormous factor. Yuki has repeatedly emphasised that he’s actually the right man for Red Bull Racing.”
Since the Chinese Grand Prix, the 24-year-old performed a series of simulator sessions which – according to Marko – confirmed that the Japanese driver is ready to make the step up to Red Bull.
“We had to act quickly,. And everything was positive. Also the technical feedback, which he had often been accused of lacking, that he didn’t understand the technical side or couldn’t set up a car – that also turned out to be incorrect.”
“The fact that Japan happens to be the next race is just a coincidence. And of course, Honda is happy with the decision – that’s clear. But that wasn’t the decisive factor. Honda’s involvement ends at the end of this year anyway.
“That wasn’t decisive and wasn’t the motivation behind the decision either,” concluded Marko.
