Red Bull stars summoned to HQ for key meeting

Red Bull Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that a meeting is set to take place at the team's headquarters following a difficult start to the season.

Max Verstappen came within a second of beating Lando Norris at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, before finishing fourth in China, but Liam Lawson is yet to score a point for his new team.

It means that Red Bull are already 42 points behind McLaren in the constructors' championship, while Verstappen already looks to be struggling to keep up with 2024 championship rival Lando Norris in the drivers' championship.

Now, Marko has confirmed that a crisis meeting is set to take place with key personnel in order to try and uncover the problems with the current RB21, and how the team can get back to grand prix winning ways.

"We have a technical deficit," Marko told Austrian broadcaster ServusTV. He also confirmed a meeting in Milton Keynes will take place to find out "how we can have a winning car again and within what timeframe."

Asked about potential upgrades, Marko told the broadcaster: "A quick fix like that, if it were to work out, would be great. But you can't rely on it."

Red Bull in F1 crisis

There have been rumours that Red Bull are considering demoting Lawson back down to the Racing Bulls seat ahead of the Japanese GP, and instead will promote Yuki Tsunoda, who has looked quick in the early stages of the season.

The Japanese driver set the fifth fastest time in qualifying at the Australian GP and started P9 on the grid in China, but a two-stop strategy prevented Tsunoda from scoring points at the Shanghai International Circuit.

While Marko's comments did not suggest that the meeting will be about Lawson's future, the young New Zealander's performances have been harming Red Bull in the constructors' fight.

Lawson qualified plum last for both the sprint race and the main race at the Chinese Grand Prix, while his team-mate Verstappen put his RB21 second and fourth respectively in those two qualifying sessions.

Verstappen's long-term future with the team has also been called into question, with there understood to be clauses in his contract that would allow him to leave if Red Bull are not providing him with a car capable of winning races.

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