Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull dream was nearly crushed after F1 genius Adrian Newey refused to back him for a promotion.
Yuki Tsunoda could have become a Red Bull Racing driver much earlier—if not for Adrian Newey’s veto.
With Liam Lawson failing to impress during his brief stint alongside Max Verstappen in early 2025, Red Bull heads to the Japanese Grand Prix with local hero Tsunoda now in the spotlight.
But behind the scenes, it’s been far from a smooth ride. It’s no secret that Verstappen was unhappy with Lawson being dropped so quickly.
“He kept saying the car was just too hard to drive,” said Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko. “And that’s fair—everyone’s entitled to their view. But you don’t win world championships on opinions alone.”
Marko now admits that the team may have made the wrong call by backing Lawson over Tsunoda. According to him, the turning point came at the Mexican Grand Prix last year.
“That race was critical in deciding who would replace Sergio Pérez. Tsunoda collided with Pierre Gasly, and debris from the crash damaged Max’s car. That ruined his race—and Adrian Newey was furious.”
“From that moment on, Tsunoda was a no-go for him. Adrian simply didn’t want to see him in one of our cars.”
Tsunoda Rises, Red Bull Reacts
But things have changed. With Newey now out of the picture and Tsunoda showing real personal growth—along with a new management team—the door has reopened.
“He’s matured. I even heard him say he’s aiming for a podium in Japan,” Marko said with a smile. “Honestly, I’d be happy just to see Max back up there.”
Still, Marko stressed that Red Bull’s focus isn’t just on driver performance.
“We need real upgrades—and fast. They’re coming in batches, but if something doesn’t work, it needs fixing immediately.”
“To win a fifth title, these updates have to land over the next five races. If not, we may run out of time.”
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Newey Blocked Tsunoda’s Shot at Red Bull Seat
Newey Blocked Tsunoda’s Shot at Red Bull Seat
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