Helmut Marko reiterated his ‘stricken boxer’ analogy for Liam Lawson, but cited the examples of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon for why he should not lose hope.

The Red Bull senior advisor referenced the fact that, despite Gasly and Albon having both lost the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, they have both become “highly regarded Formula 1 drivers” after that stint.

Marko gives Liam Lawson hope after Gasly, Albon reputation ‘recovery’

Marko said separately that after two damaging races with Red Bull, he and the team’s shareholders opted to switch him with Yuki Tsunoda, comparing the New Zealander to a “battered boxer” after a bruising encounter in the ring.

He repeated that analogy but explained that, had Lawson been anywhere other than the Red Bull stable, he may have found himself without a seat altogether in Formula 1 after this swap.

Citing the precedent of Gasly, who was moved aside for Albon in mid-2019, with Albon subsequently dropped back to reserve duties after the 2020 season with Sergio Perez arriving at Red Bull, Marko explained that both drivers have both “recovered” to earn strong reputations within the paddock at their current teams.

“It wasn’t an easy decision either,” Marko told Dutch publication De Telegraaf.

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“But Liam was like a stricken boxer, and we are not throwing him out of Formula 1.

“He remains active within Red Bull and the Racing Bull is a good car.

“We have also had to make similar decisions in the past with Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon. They then recovered and are highly regarded Formula 1 drivers.

“We are in the unique position of being able to do this. In another team, he would have left Formula 1 immediately.

“I also believe that if Liam had not had so many technical problems and the car was more controllable, this would have worked.

“It’s always easy to talk with hindsight. But all of us now, meaning all the shareholders, came to the conclusion that we had to make this change.”

Yuki Tsunoda will drive the Red Bull RB21 for the first time this weekend at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, while Lawson returns to Racing Bulls in his stead.

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