Red Bull vs Racing Bulls: Marko’s Definitive Answer

Helmut Marko has come clean about what many suspected – the Racing Bulls cars are “much easier to drive” than the troublesome RB21 that Red Bull Racing developed for the 2025 season.

This revelation comes after a major team shakeup. Liam Lawson, who earned his way to the top team, has been sent back down to Racing Bulls after struggling to tame the difficult RB21. In a surprising twist, Yuki Tsunoda will take his place – the same driver that Marko and team boss Christian Horner initially passed over.

The two drivers had battled it out during the final six races of 2024 for Sergio Perez‘s seat. Lawson impressed everyone with his performances at Racing Bulls after replacing Daniel Ricciardo, ultimately winning the promotion.

But the New Zealander’s dream move quickly turned into a nightmare.

The RB21 has proven to be a handful for anyone not named Max Verstappen.

“It is true that the RB21 is difficult to drive,” Marko admitted in an interview with Oe24. “The Racing Bulls is much easier to drive and very fast in a single qualifying lap. But the difference is that in the race, the Racing Bulls are always slower and behind us.”

Even with Verstappen’s incredible talent, Red Bull’s results have been underwhelming. The three-time world champion has managed just a second place in Australia and fourth in China so far this season.

This is a far cry from Red Bull’s dominant form in recent years.

Many insiders point to Adrian Newey’s impending departure as the root cause of Red Bull’s struggles. The legendary designer announced last year he’d be leaving after the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, before eventually signing with Aston Martin from March 1, 2025.

When asked if losing Newey was behind their performance dip, Marko didn’t dodge the question.

“Of course, we miss such a man. Newey is Newey,” he said. “But we are a team of 1,000 people; the team behind it gradually got bigger and bigger.”

The situation mirrors last season’s troubles when only Verstappen’s brilliance secured championship glory despite a problematic RB20. Meanwhile, Perez struggled throughout 2024, eventually losing his seat.

For Lawson, the demotion might actually come as a relief. He’ll now have a chance to rebuild his confidence in a car that’s less temperamental.

The question now is whether Tsunoda can handle the beast that’s giving everyone else such headaches.