Helmut Marko has revealed why Red Bull Racing has decided on giving Yuki Tsunoda a chance to drive for the team over the remainder of the 2025 F1 season alongside Max Verstappen, with Liam Lawson heading back to Racing Bulls.
Why he initially missed out
Speaking about the decision at the end of last year, Helmut Marko said Yuki Tsunoda was faster than Liam Lawson, but he felt the Japanese driver would not have the emotional control to go up against Max Verstappen. The Kiwi ultimately got the nod.
The 24-year-old Japanese driver had seen off Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo as he outperformed them through 2023 and 2024, and he beat Lawson last year 6-0 in Grand Prix qualifying, as well as 8-4 in points.
“While his outbursts have improved significantly, they remain a factor. When things go wrong, he loses control, becomes slower, and gets thrown off his rhythm,” explained the Austrian.
“We believe these traits could lead to significant emotional challenges if he were driving alongside Max and realises he can’t beat him—or even come close to what he envisions.”
Yuki Tsunoda now ready for the Rest Bull Racing F1 challenge, says Helmut Marko
Starting out in his fifth season at the junior Red Bull squad, Yuki Tsunoda has been exceptional so far. The Racing Bulls driver was P5 on the grid in Australia, and he made Q3 in Shanghai as well.
Points in the Sprint got him up and running in 2025, and it could have been around 16 points in Grands Prix if his team had not messed up on strategy.
Speaking to the BBC radio on Friday morning, as well as Dutch website De Telegraaf, Helmut Marko explained the progress Yuki Tsunoda has made over the winter from his point of view.
“Tsunoda made a big step.
“It’s strange, after four years, and now in his fifth year, he’s a much stronger personality, he has more confidence, and he did two very good races. It’s just the strategy didn’t work at Racing Bulls.
“But in this case, with a very difficult car, experience is something which will help. That was our thoughts.
“Yuki has had his ups and downs, but has matured. He worked hard in the winter and he has become physically stronger.”
Pushed on why Tsunoda suddenly is good enough for Red Bull Racing when he was not a few months ago despite beating Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls in their six races together last season, Marko outlined a few reasons.
“As I mentioned, he had two very good races.
“He changed his management. He is far more mature.
“And when we made the decision last year in Mexico, he had two crashes, and he was not consistent in his performance.
“But obviously, over winter, he changed.”
Helmut Marko: Yuki Tsunoda in a Red Bull Racing car until the end of the 2025 F1 season
With Liam Lawson only getting a couple of races at Red Bull Racing before the brutal decision was taken to demote him to Racing Bulls, Helmut Marko confirmed to the BBC that Yuki Tsunoda will get his chance to impress against Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing over the next 22 rounds.
“Until the end of the season, because we believe he can do the job.”
