Advice to Marko: exit Tsunoda, throw Lawson in at the deep end or snare Albon

Helmut Marko has finalised Red Bull Racing's line-up for the coming years, but at AlphaTauri the options are endless. Pierre Gasly has already been confirmed for 2023, but it is still unclear who the second driver at the Faenza-based team will be. In my experience, there are three possibilities: Liam Lawson, Alexander Albon and Yuki Tsunoda (but I don't like the latter).

Tsunoda is currently in his second season in Formula 1 at AlphaTauri, but he has yet to really impress. At least not with me. Last season we know he had some start-up problems, but 2022 is supposed to be a better year. I haven't seen much of it yet in all honesty. In the qualifying game, the score is 8-3 in his favour and while that is better than in 2021, it is anything but impressive. Especially when you consider that a Gasly has yet to approach his form of twelve months ago.

Tsunoda is piling up error after error. In Britain, AlphaTauri could have scored big points with two cars for the first time, were it not for the 22-year-old's mistake and the fact that he spun with team-mate Gasly. In the Canadian Grand Prix, he spun out of the pit lane and so 2022 will be another year of making unnecessary mistakes.

Of course Marko has learnt from the past few years in which he dismissed Gasly and Albon (perhaps too) quickly, but Red Bull's advisor will have a hard time keeping the list of talents coming up behind Tsunoda happy and on board if the Japanese is allowed to keep piling up mistake after mistake. The motto is: select through next year.

Get Lawson in the car

Red Bull has five juniors driving in Formula 2 with Liam Lawson, Dennis Hauger, Jehan Daruvala, Ayumu Iwasa and Juri Vips. Although Daruvala is currently the highest ranked Red Bull junior in fourth place, Lawson seems to have the best chance. It is not for nothing that he succeeded Vips as test and reserve driver with the Austrians after the N-word incident. A move from Vips to Formula 1 is therefore out of the question anyway.

It's fair to say that Lawson has not made an indelible impression with Carlin in Formula 2 this year either. He started the season strongly in Bahrain, but Imola, Barcelona and Monaco were dramatic for the still only 20-year-old New Zealander. The fact that Lawson is only tenth halfway through the year is also due to a relatively high level of mechanical failure. Moreover, he is only twenty points behind his competitor Daruvala. So there is still plenty to be saved, but it is clear that things have to improve.

Yuki Tsunoda finished third in the championship in his first year in Formula 2 and while that is not yet out of reach for Lawson this season, it will be a tough task. The fact that Lawson can drive fast was evident in last year's DTM. In his debut year, he seemed to be on his way to the title, until he lost the championship in the final phase.

Lawson can adapt, something that is important as a Formula One driver. And that is exactly what Tsunoda seems to be having big problems with. Lawson will have to show that he has the right qualities in the Red Bull simulator. He will also have to test in some of this year's first free practice sessions and hopefully convince Marko. Throw Lawson in the deep end, it worked out well for Verstappen too!

Or bring back Albon

If Marko thinks the Lawson gamble is too big, then bring back Albon to AlphaTauri. The British Thai is still part of the family, but is driving for Williams in 2022. Albon is making an excellent impression there. He has beaten teammate Nicholas Latifi time and again and the 26-year-old has already finished in the points twice in the first eleven Grands Prix.

We are still talking about the same Albon who impressed so much at Toro Rosso in 2019 on his debut that he was transferred to the great Red Bull. The lad can really drive and a return to team boss Franz Tost 's formation could be a huge advantage for Marko. Why? Because in 2025 Red Bull will have to choose another driver in addition to Max Verstappen.

Sergio Perez' s contract will expire and the Mexican will be 34 years old by then. Red Bull is known for giving young talent new opportunities, but both AlphaTauri and Red Bull have little room for them in the coming years. The 2025 season is the perfect opportunity to do so again. Three men are eligible for that spot: Perez, Gasly and Albon.

Perspective for Albon

I am a fan of Albon, although he needs to show that he has learned from his year at Red Bull in 2020 and that he can perform under pressure. At Williams, of course, every point is a surprise and he drives in the lee. At AlphaTauri, Albon could show what he is capable of in one-on-one combat with Pierre Gasly in 2023 (and in 2024 if Gasly has not left by then).

A boy like Albon must be given a perspective within the Red Bull family. Maybe not before 2023, as there don't seem to be many other options in Formula 1 for Albon anyway, but certainly before 2024. Otherwise we shouldn't be surprised if Albon follows the same path as Carlos Sainz and ends up driving for Red Bull's rival via a diversion.