Helmut Marko will have a significant say in driver line-up decisions at two teams this year. In his role as the head of Red Bull’s driver development programme, he also wields influence at RB.
The world champions must decide whether to retain Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate. Perez’s contract is up at the end of the season.
This is apparently a source of disagreement behind the scenes at Red Bull. Christian Horner is keen on the idea of signing free agent Carlos Sainz, whereas Marko is of a mind to stick with Perez.
Verstappen thrashed Perez by a record 290-point margin in last year’s championship, so he may be keen for the Mexican to stay. And that might be informing the viewpoint of his close ally Marko.
At RB, meanwhile, both drivers are out of contract. Yuki Tsunoda has been the standout so far, scoring 14 of the team’s 19 points, but Red Bull don’t seem particularly ‘bothered’.
He leads Daniel Ricciardo 5-1 in qualifying and 4-2 on race day, but the Australian has shown signs of improvement recently. Most notably, he scored a brilliant fourth place in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint.
Manager of Liam Lawson is expressing his ‘dreams’ through the media – Helmut Marko
The one driver breathing down Ricciardo’s neck is Liam Lawson. When the eight-time race-winner suffered an injury in practice at the Dutch GP last season, Lawson stepped in for five races.
And Red Bull were so impressed with his performances that he’s ‘definitely’ set for a 2025 race seat. There’s even been speculation about a mid-season change.
This wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary. In recent years, Red Bull have axed Nyck de Vries, Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat midway through a campaign.
Marko has already rejected the notion of a repeat with Ricciardo. And Lawson’s camp insist they have ‘no idea’ where such stories come from.
Writing in a column for Speedweek, though, the Austrian didn’t seem convinced. He suggested that the New Zealander’s manager was using the media as a vehicle for his ‘dreams’.
“The rumors that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense,” he said. “Liam’s manager from New Zealand was there, apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media – including from New Zealand.
“Nothing at all is planned in Imola. But of course we will look at this in the future.”
What RB CEO Peter Bayer has said about Liam Lawson
Ricciardo started the year looking a ‘dead-cert’ to return to Red Bull alongside Verstappen if he delivered. But the narrative shifted dramatically within a few races.
That would have raised Lawson’s hopes of a full-time F1 seat, but Ricciardo’s Miami GP sprint result was timely. If he can carry that form into the remainder of the year, then it’s hard to see RB axing him.
As for Tsunoda, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team offered him an extension in the near future given that he’s found another level in 2024. Honda are interested in finding him a seat with partners Aston Martin ahead of 2026, giving the team another reason to tie him down.
RB CEO Peter Bayer has told Lawson that he’s the ‘number one candidate’ if a seat becomes available. But that’s not guaranteed.
If no offer arrives, then the 22-year-old will surely look elsewhere. He knows there may well be a vacancy at every midfield team in F1, with more than half the grid out of contract.
And based on how he performed in his brief stint last year, he’s likely to attract plenty of interest. The five-time F2 winner out-raced Tsunoda in two of the three Grands Prix that both drivers finished.
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