Red Bull Addresses Driver Promotion Dispute Involving Adrian Newey and Yuki Tsunoda

The recent comments made by Red Bull motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, about the team’s principal driver, Yuki Tsunoda, have sparked a debate. Marko suggested that Tsunoda’s crash with former teammate Pierre Gasly during the 2022 British Grand Prix was the reason behind Adrian Newey blocking Tsunoda’s promotion from the sister team to the Milton Keynes outfit.

The Impact of a Single Incident on Driver Promotion Decisions

Marko stated that Tsunoda had a reputation for inconsistent performance and making mistakes, citing an incident in Mexico during 2022 as a turning point. On the other hand, he praised Liam Lawson, who joined the team at the same time, for his immediate impact despite high pressure. However, Marko later admitted that the decision to promote Lawson was not the best one.

The incident Marko referred to took place at Silverstone, where Tsunoda collided with Gasly’s car. This collision caused damage to parts of the cars on the track, which in turn affected the underbody of Max Verstappen’s car, potentially costing him the race. Newey was reportedly furious about this incident.

Clarification from Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner

In response to Marko’s comments, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner clarified that Adrian Newey had no involvement in driver selection for the current year. He further explained that the decision not to promote Tsunoda at the end of 2024 was made before Newey went on garden leave from the team.

After leaving Red Bull, Newey spent some time contemplating his future before signing with Aston Martin. During his garden leave, Red Bull decided to replace Sergio Perez and ultimately chose rookie Liam Lawson as the best candidate to partner Max Verstappen. However, by the third round of the 2025 season, the team had replaced Lawson with Tsunoda in the top squad.