Helmut Marko has suddenly found his soft side, at least according to Mexican media.
Popular Mexican website Esto is calling out what they see as a clear double standard in how the Red Bull advisor handled Liam Lawson‘s rough Australian GP weekend.
The New Zealander had a forgettable first outing in his Red Bull Racing car. He couldn’t make it past Q1 in qualifying and then crashed in Sunday’s rain-soaked race.
What’s raised eyebrows in Mexico is Marko’s surprisingly gentle response to Lawson’s struggles.
“He does defend him! Helmut Marko justifies poor performance Liam Lawson at Australia GP,” Esto’s headline declares.
The website doesn’t hold back, suggesting Marko has “softened” his approach when it comes to Lawson. “He did not attack Liam Lawson for his poor performance, but instead tried to protect him from criticism.”
This stands in stark contrast to how Marko reportedly treated Sergio Perez last season, when the Mexican driver faced similar difficulties.
According to Esto, Marko was “very critical” of Perez during rough patches. They’ve even labeled Marko as “the controversial Red Bull advisor” to drive home their point.
What’s missing from their analysis, though, is some important context. Lawson was making his debut drive for the team, while Perez had been with Red Bull for three full seasons when he faced Marko’s harsher criticism.
The timing of this story isn’t surprising. Perez was let go by Red Bull at the end of last season, a decision that didn’t sit well with his supporters back home.
Is this a case of genuine double standards or just different expectations for rookies versus veterans? The debate continues.
