Following Yuki Tsunoda’s impressive performance during the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has publicly critiqued Red Bull Racing’s strong indication toward their driver selection choices. Tsunoda, who qualified fifth for VCARB, showcased his talent on the track, which led to substantial conversation about Red Bull’s recent decision not to include him among their driving team.
During the race, which took place on March 17, 2025, Tsunoda’s performance was exemplified by his solid qualification. He managed to secure fifth place on the grid, outracing well-known competitors like Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Despite maintaining strong momentum early on, Tsunoda's race was hampered by misjudgments at VCARB’s pit-wall, leading to the team losing substantial ground and finishing twelfth after being forced to navigate changing conditions.
His weak finish contrasted sharply with the woes faced by Liam Lawson, Red Bull’s recent recruit. Lawson struggled significantly during his first outing with the team, finding himself eliminated during the first qualifying session due to mechanical issues and later spinning out during the race itself, which led to his early retirement.
Brown wasted no time spotlighting these discrepancies after the race, telling Sky Sports, “Yuki did a great job, probably the guy who should be in the Red Bull – if you look at how he’s performed. But they seem to make some strange driver choices from time to time.” His comments reflect the mounting frustration surrounding Red Bull's continued difficulties since Daniel Ricciardo's exit from the team, with several questionable choices made across their driving roster over recent seasons.
Zak Brown's critique brings to light the question of Red Bull's commitment to developing effective challengers for World Champion Max Verstappen. The history of issues surrounding teammate performance has come under scrutiny; since Ricciardo’s departure, the Australian racing firm has struggled to find solid support to rival Verstappen’s consistently dominating performances.
Indeed, Verstappen’s staggering performance alone saw him outscoring teammate Sergio Perez by over 500 points across the previous two seasons, resulting in Perez's dismissal following the 2024 campaign. With each failed partnership leading to the same unfortunate narrative, doubts have arisen surrounding Red Bull’s management of its driver lineup, especially with regard to overlooked talent such as Tsunoda.
Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull came as he replaced the experienced driver Perez after earning just eleven race itineraries with VCARB. Consequently, this added pressure on the newcomer, who was faced with the difficulty of not just establishing himself but doing so at the level required to support Verstappen's championship bids.
Post-race, Brown highlighted Lawson’s struggles, contrasting them with Tsunoda’s strong showcasing of skill flaws, saying, “They seem to make some strange choices. Lawson showed compelling speed on the dry yet, during first practice sessions, he had several hurdles which amplified the pressure on him as he embarked on this new chapter.”
Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, also expressed his continued confidence in Lawson's capabilities, admitting the challenges presented during his debut weekend were less than ideal, but denied it was indicative of his true abilities. “It was a difficult weekend for him,” Horner commented on Lawson; he mentioned, “but he posted the second-fastest lap of the Grand Prix, which showcases what he is capable of.”
Both teams now head toward the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix scheduled to take place on the upcoming weekend. Unlike past weekends, the Shanghai event will feature only one practice session as it introduces sprint features to the race weekend schedule, placing added pressure on drivers and teams.
With Brown advocating for the re-evaluation of driver placements within Red Bull’s ranks, it remains to be seen if Red Bull will remain committed to giving Lawson ample time to adapt and grow or if they will reconsider Tsunoda’s exclusion moving forward. The relationship between talent recognition and maximizing performance against already distinguished and prominent racers like Verstappen will remain key factors.
