Marko hints at junior programme promotion at Red Bull in 2025

Helmut Marko is dropping a significant hint about the future direction of the Red Bull's driver strategy.

As speculation continues to swirl around Sergio Perez's position alongside Max Verstappen, Marko's recent comments suggest a potential shift towards promoting talent from within the Red Bull junior programme.

Youth movement in focus

The Austrian motorsport veteran has made it clear that if the decision were his alone, Verstappen's teammate for the 2025 season would be "someone from our junior programme."

This statement aligns with a broader trend in Formula 1, where teams are increasingly looking to youth to secure their long-term future.

"Youth is the trend again,"

Marko told ORF, pointing out similar moves by rival teams.

"What we used to do, is now being done by Mercedes with Antonelli, Haas with Bearman, and I also hope that [Franco] Colapinto will end up somewhere."

Lawson's audition

The recent promotion of Liam Lawson to a race seat at VCARB, Red Bull's sister team, has added fuel to the speculation fire.

Initially seen as an audition for a 2025 VCARB seat, Lawson's performances have sparked discussions about a potential fast-track to the main Red Bull team.

Marko emphasized the importance of evaluating Lawson against current VCARB driver Yuki Tsunoda.

"That's why we decided that now is the time to make a comparison with Yuki. Who of the two is the fastest?"

he said, highlighting the team's focus on performance benchmarking.

Verstappen's future and team dynamics

While discussing the team's future, Marko offered insights into Max Verstappen's approach to his F1 career.

Unlike veterans such as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, who are racing well into their late 30s and early 40s, Verstappen's priorities seem different.

"Max is not like Alonso and Hamilton,"

Marko explained.

"He wants to win, but whether that is with four, five or six World titles is not his main focus. He wants to enjoy the sport, just like the rest of his life. He wants to work in an environment where he feels comfortable."

This perspective on Verstappen's career longevity adds another layer to Red Bull's long-term planning, potentially influencing their driver selection strategy for the coming years.

Decision-making process

Despite Marko's clear preference for promoting junior talent, it's important to note that the final decision on Red Bull's driver line-up is not his alone.

Team Principal Christian Horner recently revealed the collaborative nature of these decisions, citing a previous instance where he advocated for Daniel Ricciardo to remain in the car despite pressure from Marko.

"Around Barcelona, Helmut wanted him out of the car, and there was already a lot of pressure on him there,"

Horner disclosed, highlighting the sometimes differing opinions within the Red Bull leadership.