Liam Lawson was dropped as a Red Bull driver on March 27. Photo courtesy of Road & Track.
MARIA CLARA KOLLER | STAFF REPORTER | mkollerfernandez@butler.edu
Overtime, or “OT,” is an opinion column series where the Collegian takes national sports headlines or polarizing topics and gives them a Butler-centric angle.
Since 2021, Red Bull has been the most dominant team in Formula 1, taking home four consecutive Drivers Championships and three Constructors Championships. However, Max Verstappen’s generational run has often overshadowed faults and cracks within the team, which have started to come to light.
Red Bull’s second seat ‘curse’
Verstappen has had five different teammates in five years, with Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson after just two races. Lawson’s quick departure and failed stint with Red Bull has shed light on a huge problem of Red Bull’s own making.
The New Zealand driver has picked up zero points in the first two races and sprint of the season. Lawson started the season with a did not finish (DNF) in the Australian Grand Prix, while picking up P14 in the Chinese Sprint and P16 in the actual Grand Prix.
While Max has found himself consistently in P3 and P4, Red Bull’s decision to switch Lawson with Tsunoda came after the team believed the New Zealand native’s recent performances would affect an airtight Constructors Battle. The team could not afford to fall down the standings, especially as McLaren and Ferrari have stepped up, threatening to dethrone the current Red Bull dynasty. With only Verstappen scoring points, Red Bull currently finds itself 50 points behind leaders McLaren.
Although no teammate of Verstappen has lasted as little as Lawson, there is a clear reason why the Dutch driver has had five teammates in five years. Both drivers drive the same car, so when one driver requests a change be made, it is made to both cars. Given the fact that Verstappen has been the best driver on the grid for the last four years, Red Bull has tailored the car to his every need. Meanwhile, their second drivers were left behind.
“[Max] has quite a unique driving style actually,” former Red Bull driver Alex Albon said on the High Performance Podcast. “It’s not that easy to get along with. It becomes so sharp it makes you a little bit tense.”
Although this strategy has undoubtedly helped Verstappen to win four Drivers Championships, it is also a double-edged sword. Take the Verstappen-Sergio Perez partnership for example: During the 2023 season, both drivers combined to win 21 out of 22 races, meaning that Red Bull was comfortably atop the Constructors Championship.
Sophomore computer science major Michael Haro criticized Red Bull’s questionable strategy, which has cost the team in the past.
“I believe the drivers at Red Bull aren’t given enough time to get used to the car before getting replaced,” Haro said. “Red Bull is a top competitor and is always fighting for first in the Constructors Championship.”
However, when Perez started to struggle during the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, his concerns were dismissed since Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said, “Max kept winning.” This led to a decline in performance for Perez, who drastically dropped in the Drivers Championship. As a result, Red Bull dropped in the Constructors Championship and McLaren won. This serves as an example of a recurring issue Red Bull has experienced lately; they are digging their own hole, which they keep falling into.
Despite the need to dominate in both championships, in hindsight, Red Bull’s strategy is completely reckless. It is one that only focuses on the present without preparing for the future. Formula 1 is a fast-paced sport, and any team that does not look forward will be left behind.
The consequences of their strategy have directly spilled over to this season. The first-place team in the Constructors Championship gets the largest cut of the prize pool. Last year, McLaren received $161 million, which equaled about 14% of the prize pool, while last placed Kick Sauber only received $69 million.
A larger cut of the prize pool typically means more money put in towards a faster car. As Red Bull place all their chips on Verstappen, he has contributed to the most points that help the team in the Constructors Championship while the other driver struggles to keep up, and consequently anchors the team down.
Sofia Merenych, a first-year astronomy and astrophysics major, criticized Red Bull as they prioritize Verstappen over the performance of the team as a whole.
“I think the car has ultimately been designed to fit Max’s preferences, which is why drivers have struggled,” Merenych said. “Also, the second drivers are not prioritized so it’s hard to give feedback and expect changes when they are not going to happen.”
At the end of the 2024 season, Red Bull decided to part ways with Perez after his form dipped drastically. They signed rookie Lawson over proven veteran Tsunoda, another questionable decision that would later prove disastrous.
Horner’s first mistake was to choose Lawson over Tsunoda, a relatively inexperienced rookie in a car that has proven difficult to drive by even some of the most experienced drivers on the grid. His second mistake was that he only gave Lawson two races to prove himself. Switching drivers in only the third race of the season shows that Red Bull have no sense of direction for the season.
Junior English major Laura Moutarleir questioned Red Bull’s decision to fire Lawson after two races.
“I think it was too early to determine if Liam had his place within the team,” Moutarlier said. “He hasn’t got the chance to show his full potential after two races, including the first one that was tough for every driver because of the conditions.”
Now Red Bull has thrown the Japanese driver into the deep end, as he drives his home Grand Prix with very little time to get adjusted to the car. Again, a prime example of Red Bull digging their own hole.
It’s clear Horner should have chosen Tsunoda from the beginning. However, with his minimal preparation time and a difficult car it should come as no surprise if Tsunoda struggles in the same way Lawson has.
Notable staff leaving Red Bull
Another problem Red Bull has on their hands is the departure of some of their most notable staff members, who have been paramount to their recent success. The most notable departure came in the form of Adrian Newey, a 19-year Red Bull veteran and one of the most notable car designers in Formula 1.
Newey’s exit came after disagreements with Horner over his “status and importance within Red Bull’s technical team”, per Sky Sports. Following Newey’s departure, key staff followed with the likes of Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley going to Audi while head of strategy Will Courtenay left to join McLaren.
“I think because they feel as though, unless the team policies are changed, there is no future of winning in the team,” Merenych said. “And so they’re leaving for better positions in other teams.”
There is a common saying in Formula 1 that often proves to be true: “Where there’s smoke, there is fire”. During the time that these important parts of Red Bull’s staff were leaving, Verstappen’s own future with the team was also pulled into question. With Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes for Ferrari, Verstappen was rumored to take up his empty seat.
Although Mercedes broke off talks with Verstappen, opting to sign 18-year-old prodigy Kimi Antonelli, there are still reports of Verstappen leaving Red Bull in 2026.
Such restlessness in the paddock often means there is trouble within the team. Although these changes can be attributed to a number of factors, it is clear that those who have left are jumping ship. Not only does Red Bull have a much slower car than those of McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, but the tense environment within the paddock has recently come to light.
“I believe it’s the culture and environment within Red Bull right now with Helmut Marko that is making a lot of notable people leave,” Haro said. “I also believe there will be more controversy among the team.”
Marko is a senior advisor to the Red Bull GmbH parent company, meaning he oversees both Red Bull and Racing Bulls. He is one of the most controversial characters in Formula 1, since when he speaks he either embarrasses his own drivers or criticizes another team’s driver.
This tension within the team is only a continuation of last year’s controversy, in which Horner was accused of misconduct by a former female Red Bull employee. Both Horner’s case, which has since been dismissed, and Marko’s disparaging character have proven to create a tense environment for all, not just drivers.
Whether it is the car or the staff, there is a clear problem at hand for Red Bull. These are problems that have been neglected for years, and since Verstappen kept winning, there was not much media attention placed on them.
It should not come as a surprise if Red Bull finishes third or even fourth in the Constructors Championship this season. The Austrian team finds itself in a complete mess of its own making with no quick way out.
