Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has expressed no remorse for the decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Tsunoda, now partnered with Max Verstappen for four races, has earned Marko's confidence to remain in the Red Bull seat for the rest of the year.
When asked by Bild newspaper if demoting Lawson was the right call, Marko, 82, replied without hesitation, "Yes."
Addressing Tsunoda's modest points tally, he added, "Yes, but he's much closer to Max than Liam was. In only his second race in the Red Bull, he finished in the points. That was a top performance and proof that we did the right thing.
"When was the last time we had two cars in the points? I don't remember."
Lawson, 23, was reassigned to Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls, but has yet to score a point in 2025, either at Red Bull or in his current role.
However, some still might view Red Bull's swift decision to drop the New Zealander after only two races as harsh, but Marko defended the move. "Liam couldn't handle the pressure at Red Bull," he argued.
"That's why it was the right decision to fill the cockpit with someone else."
Marko emphasized that Lawson's career remains supported, stating, "We know what we're doing. And we didn't abandon Liam—he's still racing in Formula 1 and has one of just 20 cockpits in the whole world. He's been well received there and is performing better again."
