Marko immediately puts pressure on Lawson: 'We have more strong drivers'

Daniel Ricciardo was ousted from his Visa Cash App RB seat after the Singapore Grand Prix. Liam Lawson will replace him and finish the season at VCARB. Marko stresses they want to compare the New Zealander to Yuki Tsunoda, but warns Lawson there is more talent waiting in the wings.

Marko: 'We will see how Lawson compares to Tsunoda'

Lawson gets to prove himself in the final six races of the F1 season, but pressure has already been placed on Lawson. "We will see how he compares to Yuki Tsunoda. He needs to deliver a Formula 1-worthy performance, as he has already done in his previous GP appearances," Marko stressed in his column for Speedweek.com. "We have other strong drivers in the junior team, such as Ayumu Iwasa and Isack Hadjar. They will get the chance to drive on the rookie test day after the season finale in Abu Dhabi. After that, we will see what happens."

"The performances of Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto have shown that the young guys are ready for the step up, but also that the old philosophy of some team bosses that only drivers with three or four years of experience can promote to a top team is outdated. Mercedes has now proved this by choosing a young driver, just as Red Bull Racing has done several times in the past," Marko continued.

Marko: 'FIA should create opportunities for young drivers earlier'

The 81-year-old Austrian believes the FIA also has a role to play in creating opportunities for young drivers. "You can rely on youth. It is certainly a risk, but it is a manageable risk and worthwhile," Marko explained.

"You have to give the youngsters a chance to prove themselves in a GP car after they have worked their way up in the junior classes. In itself, this whole route is good, but unfortunately far too expensive. It starts in karting and continues in all classes. The FIA should start there and see how they can get the costs under control."

This article has been created in collaboration with Nicole Mulder