Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, has taken a jab at rival team Red Bull for their “odd driver selections” following Yuki Tsunoda’s stellar performance at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Tsunoda, who is in his fifth year with Red Bull’s affiliate team, was once again overlooked for a promotion to the main team in 2025, despite a vacant position opening up alongside Max Verstappen due to Sergio Perez’s departure. Instead, Liam Lawson was given the promotion, surpassing Tsunoda, his Racing Bulls teammate at the time.
Brown didn’t miss an opportunity to criticize Red Bull’s decision, dubbing it “strange” to choose Lawson over Tsunoda, who has more experience. Following the qualifying round, Brown shared his views with Sky Sports, stating, “Yuki did a great job, probably the guy that should be in the Red Bull if you look at how he’s performed, but they seem to make some strange driver choices.”
Tsunoda’s impressive performance in Australia caught the attention of Red Bull’s leadership. He was primed to translate his promising start into a significant point gain when he passed Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari on the 42nd lap as the track started to dry. However, a sudden rain shower towards the end of the race undid Tsunoda’s efforts. An ill-timed transition to Intermediates by Racing Bulls saw him drop to 12th place.
Despite not earning a single point at Albert Park, Tsunoda’s performance did not go unnoticed. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s boss, was asked to share his thoughts on Tsunoda’s race. Speaking to select media including Motorsport Week, Horner said, “I thought Yuki again drove a very good race today. I didn’t follow closely their decision-making for going from slicks to inters. It looked like they perhaps missed the window. I looked up at one point and he was ahead of Charles Leclerc and driving very well.”
Horner also commented on the performance of the Racing Bulls car, observing, “They’ve had a well-balanced car this weekend. I’m sure they’ll be hoping for that to continue in China next weekend.” Despite the disappointment of the Australian Grand Prix, Tsunoda and Racing Bulls will be looking to bounce back in the next race. Brown’s criticism of Red Bull’s driver selection adds an interesting dynamic to the unfolding Formula 1 season.