BREAKING: Helmut Marko has Handed Yuki Tsunoda Key Max Ve…read more
Helmut Marko Defends Yuki Tsunoda Promotion, Says He’s Closing Gap to Max Verstappen
Red Bull’s senior advisor Helmut Marko has thrown his full support behind Yuki Tsunoda, praising the Japanese driver’s early performances since his surprise promotion to the main team. According to Marko, Tsunoda is already showing signs of significant progress and is notably “much closer” to Max Verstappen in terms of pace than his predecessor, Liam Lawson.
Tsunoda was elevated to the Red Bull Racing seat just two races into the 2025 season, replacing Lawson in a swift and somewhat unexpected move. The decision came after Red Bull’s senior management reportedly grew concerned over Lawson’s early-season struggles, prompting the team to look for a more competitive and consistent partner for Verstappen.
Since joining Red Bull, Tsunoda has had a mixed start—scoring just six points in his first four races, while Verstappen has collected a commanding 62 points over the same period. Despite the disparity in results, Marko has emphasized that the lap time gap between the two drivers has narrowed considerably, which was not the case when Lawson was in the car.
“Yes, it was the right decision,” Marko confirmed to *BILD* when asked if promoting Tsunoda had paid off. “Yuki is much closer to Max than Liam was.”
One of the key metrics Red Bull is reportedly focusing on is qualifying performance. Tsunoda has already reached Q3 since stepping into the RB21, something Lawson failed to achieve during his brief tenure with the team. In addition, Tsunoda scored points in only his second race for Red Bull—a milestone Marko sees as a strong early indicator of his adaptability and competitiveness.
“That was a top performance,” Marko said, referring to Tsunoda’s early points finish. “It showed that we made the right decision. And when was the last time we had both cars in the points? I genuinely can’t remember.”
The statement also reflects Red Bull’s ongoing challenges in fielding a consistent second driver alongside Verstappen—a position that has seen high turnover in recent years. Marko’s backing of Tsunoda suggests the team may finally be settling on a longer-term partner for their star driver.
While expectations remain high, Red Bull appears encouraged by Tsunoda’s trajectory. Internally, the team believes he still has untapped potential that could be unlocked with more time and experience in the main squad.
For Tsunoda, this opportunity marks a major turning point in his F1 career. After several seasons with the junior team—now rebranded as Racing Bulls—he’s now tasked with the challenge of proving he belongs at the sharp end of the grid. And with Red Bull’s full backing, the next phase of his journey is already well underway.
