'No protection' for 'pup' Lawson in '25 – Marko

Jan.23 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has set a clear target for Max Verstappen’s new teammate in 2025.

Red Bull has ousted the underperforming Sergio Perez and replaced him with the rookie Liam Lawson, who completed only parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons for the junior outfit Racing Bulls.

Team advisor Marko said recently that it is the 22-year-old New Zealander’s mental toughness that put him over the line, with Lawson declaring that Marko’s notorious harshness has prepared him well.

“The phone calls from Helmut at 7am, putting the pressure on,” he told the Times. “The threat of losing your career at 16, if you don’t perform in this next race – that really helped build me for Formula 1.”

Speaking to German magazine Sport Bild, 81-year-old Marko confirmed that he will provide “no protection for the pup” in 2025.

“He may have only driven eleven grands prix for the Racing Bulls,” said the Austrian, “but now he is sitting in a Red Bull.

“We are not expecting any victories, but he should score points regularly and be closer to Max than Checo was,” Marko added. “0.2 to 0.3 seconds per lap would be a satisfactory window.”