Red Bull F1 chief admits Yuki Tsunoda fears after remarkable Max Verstappen comparison

max verstappen, yuki tsunoda, red bull, graphic — Photo: © IMAGO

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Red Bull chief admits Tsunoda fears after remarkable Verstappen comparison

It has been a challenging start to the campaign for Red Bull

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 8 May 2025 20:55

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Helmut Marko has revealed a major reason behind one of his drivers' early season struggles.

It has been a poor start to the 2025 campaign for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, whose chances of wrestling back the constructors' title from McLaren look all but over after just six races, with the with the gap to the champions already almost 150 points.

Their cause hasn't been helped by their difficulty in finding a suitable team-mate for defending drivers' champion, Max Verstappen.

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Liam Lawson replaced Sergio Perez during the off-season, but was ditched after just two races in favour of former Racing Bulls partner Yuki Tsunoda, who was initially overlooked for the position.

The 24-year-old has yet to set the heather alight either, and while Marko was pleased to see him finish in the points at last weekend's Miami Grand Prix, he admits he still has much to work on.

Yuki's getting better and better, the Austrian told OE24. "He's the first [Verstappen] team-mate who can get a taste of Max's performance.

"Unfortunately, when the pressure increases, he still makes mistakes."

Verstappen falls further behind

Tsunoda's four-point haul in Florida - three of which came at Saturday's sprint race - marked his best weekend so far this year.

Verstappen, meanwhile, eventually lost out in a tense battle with championship rival Lando Norris, ending the afternoon in fourth spot.

The Dutchman - who celebrated the arrival of his first child last week - currently occupies third position in the drivers' standings behind Norris and surprise leader Oscar Piastri.

Next up for both Verstappen and Tsunoda is a trip to northern Italy for next weekend's Emilia-Romagna GP.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Helmut Marko Yuki Tsunoda Liam Lawson