Editorial: What is Red Bull playing at?

Liam Lawson's mediocre performance at Red Bull could lead the Austrian team to demote him to Racing Bulls, according to a rumor reported by Canal+. This news raises new questions about the team's management.

If you're tired of toxic management at your workplace, try spending a few days behind the wheel for Red Bull: you'll have a lot to talk about afterwards, and you'll probably enjoy the experience. The team is reportedly set to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, and once again, management's harsh treatment of the second driver is in the spotlight. This even raises the question of what they are doing with Max Verstappen's teammate. Since Verstappen's arrival in 2016, most of the drivers who have occupied garage No. 33 have not been treated kindly. Daniel Ricciardo was almost pushed out, which partly explains his move to Renault. Pierre Gasly was under intense pressure from winter testing onwards after his accident, and the Frenchman was constantly criticized. Alex Albon's stint was brief, while Sergio Pérez was only able to express himself freely because he brought in significant funding.

Mistreating young drivers seems to be a tradition at Red Bull. Replacing Lawson with Tsunoda after only two Grand Prix races would set a new record. How can Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, and the others already have a clear idea of the New Zealander's level, especially since he has performed well with the sister team and impressed in a private test at Silverstone in Verstappen's car? If Alpine were simply to let Jack Doohan go and Aston Martin were to thank Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll (although the latter has just signed a permanent contract), the situation would be clearer, but the reality is more complicated. As another article on the “second driver syndrome” at Red Bull points out, perhaps the team should stop blaming the drivers and start questioning itself. Even Verstappen is struggling with the current car, although his talent masks many of the problems. For several seasons now, Red Bull has been acting like a driver-killing machine. The promise to help drivers develop is losing credibility; even the military isn't as strict, rigid, or ruthless. The pressure in the armed forces can be intense, but it's manageable—and at least it's not compounded by alcohol, which would otherwise cause many more problems.

Red Bull now has a reputation as the most uncompromising team in F1: “perform or leave,” with an extremely short trial period. In many ways, this mirrors Ferrari's approach. All attention is focused on the main driver, the top performer, while the second driver is quickly dismissed if he shows signs of being able to surpass the star. Take Ricciardo, for example. Ferrari has followed a similar pattern for decades: after Niki Lauda's accident, they turned to Carlos Reutemann; after Michael Schumacher's injury, they brought in Eddie Irvine; when Sebastian Vettel was faster than Kimi Räikkönen, the Finn was let go.

With Lawson's situation, Red Bull will once again be portrayed as the “big bad guy,” and perhaps rightly so. Christian Horner's desire to project an image of sainthood, expressed in the latest season of Drive to Survive, seems far from reality. At some point, decision-makers will have to own up to this approach, or at least show more leniency and genuine solidarity. Above all, they need to build a car that isn't solely tailored to Verstappen's preferences—that's the real problem, not the driver behind the wheel.