Red Bull chief admits Verstappen 'unhappy' with huge driver decision

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Senior Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has fanned the flames of rumors about Max Verstappen leaving the team, admitting that the Dutchman isn't happy with the team's decision-making.

The four-time world champion has typically been open about his feelings within the team and in public, continuing this season with some choice words about the team's new car.

On Thursday Red Bull confirmed that they would be conducting the earliest driver change in the team's history, demoting a struggling Liam Lawson back down to junior team Racing Bulls and promoting his former team-mate Yuki Tsunoda to race alongside Verstappen for the remainder of the season.

Marko and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner opted to promote Lawson over Tsunoda last season and following a difficult start to 2025 campaign, Verstappen's team sits third in the constructors' standings, which is hardly an ideal place to be as their 2024 rivals McLaren go from strength to strength.

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Verstappen against Red Bull agreement

Following the shocking news of Red Bull's potentially premature driver swap, Marko spoke to Dutch publication De Telegraaf and revealed that the decision to demote Lawson was something that Red Bull's reigning champion fiercely disagreed with.

"We know Max is not happy.

"But we need two cars at the front. Not only for the constructors' championship, but also to help Max to his fifth world title," the Austrian said.

"Then you can achieve more strategically in races. We can use Yuki's experience and form now. That counts. At the end of the day, that is to the advantage of the team. And that also means to the advantage of Max."

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