Red Bull's eternal uncertainty: a structural problem

Red Bull has once again shaken up its driver lineup with just two races remaining in the season. Yuki Tsunoda is promoted to the main team, while Liam Lawson is relegated to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls. This move only serves to highlight, once again, Red Bull's rapid decision-making and its management's questionable handling of its drivers.

Photo: Red Bull Racing

The Red Bull team has always promoted its young talent development program through its driver academy, but in practice, this often remains just words. Drivers like Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, and others have ended up seeking opportunities at different teams after not receiving the necessary support.

This shows us that, in recent years, Red Bull has turned its own system into a trap or, worse yet, a failed strategy. Questionable decisions by its management have weakened the structure, affecting both the second seat in the main team and the drivers who pass through Racing Bulls, who seem to be in a constant state of uncertainty rather than on a solid path to the top.

Last year was a clear example of the inconsistency in Red Bull's driver management. It all began with the replacement of Daniel Ricciardo at Racing Bulls due to his poor performance, giving up his seat to youngster Liam Lawson. However, the real turning point came at the end of the season, when Sergio "Checo" Pérez had to leave his position at Red Bull Racing after failing to meet the team's expectations.

The problem wasn't just his departure, but the decision that followed. Yuki Tsunoda had long seemed the natural candidate to fill the second seat alongside Max Verstappen, following the supposed development path of the Red Bull academy. However, Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, and the management opted to give Liam Lawson the opportunity, leaving the Japanese driver aside and contradicting the team's own system for promoting its talents.

This decision generated great discontent among fans, as Tsunoda had proven through his results and performance that he was the most deserving of the seat. In the final stretch of last season, the Japanese rider outperformed Lawson in every aspect, making it clear who should be the chosen one.

Despite all this, the season began with the lineup chosen by Red Bull. However, it only took two races for the error of this decision to become evident. Liam Lawson performed far below expectations, finishing far behind Max Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda surprised with solid performances, proving himself to be the most competitive driver.

This contrast in performance made it clear that the team was wrong to relegate Tsunoda and that his promotion to the main team was inevitable. Once again, Red Bull demonstrated its tendency to make hasty decisions and correct them on the fly, calling into question the stability and true purpose of its driver academy and the team. 

But this not only highlights the instability of one of the most important teams in recent years, but also revives aspects that were once dismissed and ignored.

The main issue is the problem with the car itself. For this season, Red Bull has introduced a complicated and unstable car, something that Max Verstappen himself admitted when he described it as difficult to drive. This puts into perspective statements that were downplayed by the team in the past, such as those of Sergio "Checo" Pérez, who argued that his poor performance was not solely due to him, but also to the fact that the car was largely designed to suit Verstappen's driving style.

Now, with Liam Lawson's performance issues and doubts about the performance of any driver who joins the Red Bull, these claims are gaining momentum again. So much so that Verstappen himself expressed his disagreement with the promotion of Yuki Tsunoda, fearing that if the Japanese driver did not achieve good results due to the car's characteristics, his racing career could be seriously affected.

Another aspect that highlights this constant driver turnover is how Red Bull ignores the more human and personal factors in its management. The team seems unaware that this erratic management—supporting a driver in one race and then discarding him in the next—seriously affects the mental health of its own drivers.

These types of impulsive decisions can have three clear consequences. First, they damage the driver's public image, as two races are not enough to demonstrate his true potential on the track. Second, they undermine the confidence of the drivers themselves, who constantly feel threatened rather than receiving real support. And third, they make it clear that Red Bull is still clinging to the idea of ​​finding a Max Verstappen "clone" for the second seat, something impossible.

Ultimately, this way of operating is not only detrimental to the drivers, but also exposes the team's lack of a clear strategy. Instead of building an environment of development and stability, Red Bull turns its second seat into a place of constant pressure, where any driver seems always one step away from humiliation.