Tsunoda denied Red Bull promotion after 'furious' Newey fallout

Helmut Marko has claimed that Yuki Tsunoda was denied a Red Bull promotion because of a fallout with their then chief technical officer Adrian Newey.

Red Bull’s initial decision to promote Liam Lawson in favour of Tsunoda left some baffled, particularly after an impressive 2024 season from the Japanese driver.

However, in an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko was quick to recall Tsunoda's reputation as an inconsistent driver and said: “For a long time, Yuki had the image of not performing consistently and making silly mistakes here and there.

“That's what happened last year in Mexico, where the decisive phase for us began. With Lawson, it was the exact opposite at first: he came on and delivered straight away, no matter how great the pressure was.”

“In retrospect, however, it wasn't the right decision. In general, however, a lot can be traced back to a single incident.”

Marko reveals why Tsunoda missed out on Red Bull promotion

Marko subsequently referred to the 2022 British Grand Prix, where Tsunoda clashed with then team-mate Pierre Gasly thus solidifying Red Bull's perception of the Japanese driver as accident prone.

“At Silverstone, Tsunoda once drove into Pierre Gasly's car, and parts of the cars on the track damaged the underbody of Verstappen's car, which cost him the race,” Marko continued.

“Adrian Newey was furious at the time. From that point on, Yuki was a red rag to him. But now Newey is gone, and Yuki has worked hard on himself.”

Newey has since left Red Bull and joined Aston Martin as their managing technical partner, where he will reportedly earn £30 million a year as he attempts to design the team a championship winning car.

Aston Martin will partner Red Bull’s current engine supplier Honda in 2026, and, if Marko’s comments are to be believed, Newey may not want Tsunoda to sign with the team should his relationship sour with Red Bull.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton confirms stunning new plans as Horner reflects on 'cruel' decision

Related

Red Bull

Red Bull chief pins Lawson switch on 'bad luck'

• April 1, 2025 13:58

Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo F1 paddock return confirmed

• March 30, 2025 21:56