In 2018, Daniel Ricciardo left Red Bull aware of the shifting hierarchies within the team. Helmut Marko, confident in Verstappen’s potential, saw him as the future centerpiece. However, the Dutchman’s meteoric rise also introduced an unforeseen challenge: finding a teammate capable of keeping pace.
Six seasons have passed since Ricciardo’s departure, during which Red Bull has reaped the rewards of Verstappen’s dominance. But alongside his success, the other side of the garage has seen a string of errors overshadowed only by Max’s brilliance.
Marko’s once-revered talent-spotting ability, which brought drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Ricciardo, and Verstappen to prominence, now seems diminished. Or perhaps, as some insiders argue, finding someone capable of sharing a garage with Max is simply an impossible task.
This predicament has come at a cost for Red Bull. Despite Verstappen clinching the championship with two races to spare, the team only managed third in the Constructors’ standings—a sign of deeper systemic issues. While Marko and Horner have taken steps to address these problems, the decisions coming from Milton Keynes lack clear direction.
The Rejection of Carlos Sainz Risks Further Constructors’ Defeats
With Sergio Perez’s tenure ending, Red Bull had an opportunity to recruit a driver perfectly suited to the team’s needs. However, Carlos Sainz was overlooked, likely due to his history with Verstappen during their turbulent 2015 season at Toro Rosso. Red Bull is unwilling to risk even slight disruptions to Max’s comfort, underscoring the team’s unwavering prioritization of their star driver.
This decision reveals the team’s readiness to sacrifice competitiveness for the Constructors’ Championship, choosing instead to groom Liam Lawson—a driver with only 11 F1 races under his belt. This developmental phase would have been more fitting in the junior Racing Bulls program, but Red Bull has decided otherwise.
Opinions on Liam Lawson’s future vary. Some see him as yet another victim of Verstappen’s dominance, following the same path as Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon. Others view Lawson as a potential heir to Verstappen’s throne, capable of representing Red Bull’s future.
This narrative gains traction with speculation about Verstappen’s possible switch to Aston Martin for 2026—a scenario unlikely but not entirely out of the question. If Red Bull affords Lawson the time to develop—a luxury denied to Gasly and Albon—his time alongside Verstappen could be transformative. Yet the team’s track record suggests otherwise, as their approach has failed to replicate the success achieved with Max.
The Verstappen Dependency Haunts Red Bull
Fifteen years ago, Marko mocked rival teams for offering exorbitant salaries to lure top drivers, proudly stating, “We build our drivers in-house.” That sentiment referred to talents like Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. Today, the landscape is starkly different. Although Verstappen came through Red Bull’s junior program, his status as the highest-paid driver in F1—earning an estimated €80 million per season—has altered the dynamic.
Money, however, isn’t the only factor. Max Verstappen wields unparalleled leverage within Red Bull, bolstered by his extraordinary ability to make the difference on track. Yet, the team’s lack of a viable Plan B amplifies their reliance on him. If Max were to leave, it would be disastrous for Red Bull’s ambitions, forcing them to hope for an early contract termination from a rival team’s top driver—an unlikely scenario given recent renewals in the 2024 driver market.
In this context, the decision to place Lawson in the second seat raises questions. By 2025, he could prove to be Red Bull’s future or fail to meet expectations. If Verstappen departs during this period, the team could face a crisis even more severe than the potential loss of Adrian Newey.
Leave a Reply