Not Sergio Perez or Pierre Gasly, Red Bull's Helmut Marko accepts this player getting axed as his 'biggest mistake' in F1 career

Since 2005, Helmut Marko has been instrumental in shaping Red Bull’s Formula 1 legacy, overseeing the team’s junior programme and determining which young talents make their way to the pinnacle of motorsport. As Red Bull’s advisor, Marko’s decisions have often paved the way for rising stars to shine on the F1 stage.

The De Vries Dilemma
In late 2022, following Pierre Gasly’s departure to Alpine, Red Bull faced a driver shortage. Instead of promoting from their pool of junior drivers, the team made the unusual decision to sign Nyck De Vries.

De Vries had impressed the F1 world with a standout performance for Williams at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, where he scored points as a substitute for Alex Albon. However, his full-time stint with AlphaTauri in 2023 did not live up to expectations. After just 10 races, De Vries was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo.

Reflecting on the decision, Marko admitted to Autosprint:

“My biggest mistake? No doubt about it, it’s Nyck De Vries. He did very well on his debut for Williams in Monza. But once he got to AlphaTauri, he didn’t progress. He had an incredible track record, FIA F2 champion, also Formula E world champion, but with us the stopwatch said Nyck was the wrong choice. And in trying to go faster, he made mistakes.”

A Lesson Learned
Marko and Red Bull have taken lessons from the De Vries episode, choosing to return to their roots by promoting talent from within their junior ranks for the 2025 season. Liam Lawson has stepped up to replace Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, while Isack Hadjar has joined Yuki Tsunoda at the newly rebranded Racing Bulls team (formerly AlphaTauri).

Red Bull’s Proven Junior Programme
Despite the misstep with De Vries, Red Bull’s junior programme remains one of the most successful in motorsport history. The programme has nurtured multiple world champions and race winners, including Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, who have claimed numerous titles with Red Bull.

Daniel Ricciardo, a product of the junior system, secured seven of his eight career wins with the team, while Pierre Gasly clinched a remarkable victory for their junior outfit in 2020. Carlos Sainz, another graduate, has built an impressive career with stints at Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari.

The Red Bull Legacy on the Current Grid
The strength of Red Bull’s junior programme is evident in the current F1 grid, with eight drivers having been part of the system at some point: Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Jack Doohan.

Looking Ahead
As Red Bull moves forward, the team’s renewed focus on nurturing homegrown talent is a testament to the enduring success of its junior programme. With Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar now stepping into prominent roles, the team is poised to continue its dominance in Formula 1.