Helmut Marko slams Red Bull strategy: “One driver is on pole, the other doesn’t even make Q2” – Austin GP. Helmut Marko criticized Red Bull’s qualifying strategy at the 2025 Austin GP.

Helmut Marko analyzed Red Bull’s Sprint qualifying session in Austin, where Max Verstappen secured pole position while Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated early after a costly strategic mistake during a crucial moment of Q1.

Despite the celebrations for Max Verstappen’s dominant pole, Red Bull left the qualifying session with mixed feelings. The disappointment stemmed from Yuki Tsunoda’s early exit in Q1 — a combination of heavy traffic and poor timing on track that cost him the chance to advance.

“It’s a shame,” commented Helmut Marko after the session. “When one of your drivers takes pole position and the other doesn’t even make it into Q2, it’s obvious that something went wrong. We need to understand exactly why he went out so late and how he ended up stuck in traffic. It was a strategic mistake that stopped him from improving.”

According to sources within the Red Bull garage, the mistake was linked to the timing of Yuki Tsunoda’s second run. The team decided to cool the tyres in the garage before sending him out again, believing there was enough time to complete one last flying lap.

That assumption proved to be far too optimistic. Only a few drivers managed to cross the line in time for a final attempt, while Yuki Tsunoda was left stranded in the pits by just a handful of seconds — paying a high price for the pit wall’s miscalculation.

Tsunoda out — next one in?

The situation becomes even more uncertain when looking toward the future. Although Red Bull has stated that its 2026 driver line-up will be confirmed only after the Mexican Grand Prix, Marko’s comments suggest that Yuki Tsunoda’s position is far from secure. His public criticism and the evident disappointment following Friday’s session in Austin seem to foreshadow a possible separation, as the Austrian team continues to explore new options to partner Max Verstappen in the next regulatory cycle.

The Austin weekend delivered yet another frustrating outcome for Yuki Tsunoda, especially given that his earlier pace indicated potential for a Q3 appearance. Now, with the Sprint race just ahead, Red Bull’s focus will shift to maximizing Verstappen’s pole advantage while attempting to recover ground with its second driver — who once again found himself on the wrong end of a chaotic qualifying session.