Red Bull

Red Bull admit Max Verstappen 'not happy' at team

Red Bull Formula 1 team may have a driver crisis on their hands

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Friday 28 March 2025 19:57

Red Bull's Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko has admitted that the team's star driver Max Verstappen is 'not happy'.

So far this season the Dutchman has not shied away from expressing his disgruntled opinion over Red Bull's 2025 challenger, the RB21, but heading into the third round in Suzuka next weekend, further issues have emerged after a major reshuffle at the outfit.

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.

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Marko and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner opted to promote Lawson over Tsunoda last season but following a difficult start to the 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.

Verstappen against Red Bull agreement

Following the shocking news of Red Bull's 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 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."