Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that Max Verstappen was against the "unanimous" call by Red Bull's leadership to drop Liam Lawson after only two races in 2025.
Last week, as Lawson's exit and shift back to Racing Bulls was confirmed, the four-time world champion 'liked' an Instagram post branding the decision "bullying."
Marko acknowledged Verstappen's stance to formel1.de, noting the Dutchman believes replacing Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda won't fix the 2025 car's woes. "That is correct, and that is how Max expressed it," he said.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, Marko added: "Max argued that the car is very difficult to drive and that if it was better, Lawson's performance would also improve.
"We are of course working on development, but it is not yet possible to say how fast that will go."
Curiously, even Lando Norris has grumbled about the tricky handling of his pace-setting McLaren, sparking theories that Rob Marshall's influence—post-Red Bull—might be at play. "I think there is clearly a connection there," Marko said. "The upward trend at McLaren started immediately after he left us to go there.
"That our DNA is in that car is very likely."
Meanwhile, at a Honda event in Tokyo over the weekend, Tsunoda shared that after "about two days" in the RB21 simulator since the switch, he's eyeing a podium at his home grand prix in Suzuka.
"I realised that the RB21 is not that difficult to drive, although my car setup will probably be different from Max's," said the Japanese. "I didn't have any particularly strange feelings, at least on the simulator."
Marko hinted that Tsunoda's comfort with the 2025 Red Bull, unlike Lawson's struggles, might prompt a tactical shift. "We are considering using a different setup for the second car," he said, "so that it is less aggressive and easier to handle."
Tsunoda elaborated: "I think my idea of what kind of car I want is different from Max's. I want to understand Red Bull's car first and then build a good car for myself."
Reflecting on testing Red Bull's 2024 car late last year, Tsunoda noted it matched his approach. "Well, that was a bit of a sales pitch," he laughed, "but I was able to drive normally then too, so I think it's the right fit for me."
