Last Updated on March 29 2025, 11:20 am

Red Bull Racing are once again front and centre in the Formula One news of the week. Having somewhat controversially appointed Liam Lawson as Sergio Perez’s replacement, the team decided to drop him back to the Racing Bulls after just two outings in Australia and China.

The team’s management have since been widely criticised over their recruitment process with some paddock veteran’s describing their approach as “cowardly,” “incompetent” and “deplorable.” Lawson qualified in last place for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix in China meanwhile Mercedes’ protege Kimi Antonelli was bringing home big points.

Mercedes sent Antonelli on a reported 60 days of testing previous cars in 2024 with the young Italian racking up some 10,000km before his debut in Melbourne this year. Whilst the previous Mercedes F1 cars do not replicate exactly the way the latest car will drive, but the core handling characteristics would be broadly similar.

 

 

 

Red Bull academy did not produce Max

Meanwhile, Liam Lawson was given a pointless six Grand Prix in a car he wasn’t going to drive in 2025. Red Bull should’ve retained Ricciardo and sending Lawson testing like Antonelli which would have been far better preparation for the wannabe Red Bull driver. Yet whatever the rights and wrongs of how Red Bull came to select Yuki Tsunoda to partner Max, the die is now cast and the Japanese driver has been guaranteed his seat to the end of the season.

The saga isn’t over yet as senior Red Bull figures will be forced to face the scrutiny of the paddock in Japan next weekend, with senior F1 writers suggesting the Red Bull young driver programme is not producing the goods. The Red Bull team choose to run a number one/number two driver setup as did Ferrari in the Schumacher years and following Rosberg’s departure, Mercedes followed a similar approach with Hamilton and Bottas.

And with a once in a generation kind of talent that is Max, whoever is put up alongside him has little hope of getting the better of the world champion. The Red Bull young driver programme produced Sebastian Vettel, followed by Daniel Ricciardo but was not responsible for Max Verstappen, who only signed to the brand once he knew he had an F1 drive in a Toro Rosso. So in reality the academy under the auspices of Dr. Marko has been a failure for more than a decade.

Like a football agent who clings to his premier league mega star player, Dr. Helmut Marko has developed a symbiotic relationship Max Verstappen, which at times looks as though is his only interest. Meanwhile the Red Bull young driver programme has not been delivering but Marko has one last card in his hand.

FIA reveals F1 teams in violation of flexi rules

 

 

 

Lindblad: Marko’s last card

Arvin Lindblad, claims Marko, is a superstar in waiting. Speaking in the 2024 post season, the Austrian said: “And the junior team prospect [sic] is to find new talents. And we are not looking for a new Max. We’re looking for a new champion. I think the next one which looks really promising is Arvid Lindblad.”

Lindblad is currently competing in F2, but he faces an uphill task given the experienced competition he is facing. Whether he is the next big thing for Red Bull, only time will tell. Yet Red Bull Racing should be concerned about their pipeline of driving talent – or lack of it – and whether Dr. Marko is doing his job properly.

This week the 82 year old Austrian was again asked about Max Verstappen’s contract with the world champion being linked with a move away from Red Bull for almost twelve months. Last year the team removed an exit clause which allowed Verstappen the freedom to leave, should his mentor Dr. Marko decide he has had enough.

The Red Bull advisor confirmed Verstappen does retain certain clauses for exit – but made the point this is the case for all top drivers in F1. Yet Marko observes the season is yet young and whilst the McLaren’s making the running, it is Max second in the championship.

Surprise driver Horner wished to sign, but Marko insisted on RB juniors

 

 

 

Marko defiant over 2025 hopes

“Upgrades are needed for Max to win his fifth world title,” Marko tells Formel 1.de. “That is our big goal and the whole team is working hard on it. Of course every top driver has an exit clause if performance is not good. But they are all tuned differently. That is not a topic at the moment,” Marko confirmed.

Of course Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has been publicly stating he would find a place for Max in Brackley, a convenient stick with which to beat his arch rival Christian Horner. Wolff even offered Dr. Helmut Marko a job, replacing the late Niki Lauda as the wise old racing hand.

When Marko was asked whether the topic of Verstappen’s contract will become a hot potato around the F1 Sumer break. “Yes, that’s the time window. But please, we are second in the drivers’ championship with a deficit of eight points. The summer break is still a long way off.”

Angry Perez back in F1

 

 

 

Red Bull head of junior drivers would walk

Marko concluded with something which should alarm the upper echelons in Milton Keynes. When asked if Verstappen exited the team, would he leave as well, Marko was direct stating: “That could be a good reason, yes.”

But what about the young driver academy Dr. Marko? Is it just all about Max? Is this the reason Red Bull’s cupboard is bare when it comes to top flight F1 talent? Don’t you want to see it through with the next bi F1 thing in Arvin Lindblad Dr. Marko?

So many questions. Yet the reality is Marko hasn’t talent spotted anyone of note in the last decade. Ricciardo came through and saw off Sebastian Vettel in just one season, but since then nothing. Is it time for Red Bull to part company with the good doctor and face the consequences of whether Verstappen decides to stay or go?

Red Bull ‘leaks’ over Lawson’s state of mind

 

 

 

 

Marko given enough rope to hang himself

The furore over the sacking of Formula One driver Liam Lawson from the Red Bull team is making all the pre-Japanese Grand Prix headlines. He has been replaced by Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda who was overlooked in December when the Red Bull decision was made to terminate the contract of Sergio Perez.

Yet there’s another developing story behind the scenes which appears to suggest, the “mistake” to which Dr. Helmut Marko now refers, was in fact his and it appears Red Bull have handed the 82 year old Austrian enough rope with which to hang himself.

At the beginning of last year, Red Bull were the centre of another alleged scandal, with team boss Christian Horner accused of “inappropriate behaviour” towards a female employee within the team. He was cleared both following the investigation and the subsequent appeal, although the relationships within the senior figures within world champion F1 team were clearly strained…. READ MORE