Dr. Helmut Marko has cautioned F1 aspirant Liam Lawson against expecting an immediate promotion into Formula 1.
Recent speculation suggests dissatisfaction within the Red Bull family regarding Daniel Ricciardo's pace, sparking rumors of his replacement at the junior team RB right away.
"The rumors that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense," Marko, Red Bull's influential Austrian F1 consultant, informed Speed Week.
He attributed the speculation to Lawson's manager.
"Liam's manager from New Zealand was there (in Miami), apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media - including those from New Zealand," Marko, 81, added.
"Nothing at all is planned in Imola. But of course, we will look at this in the future."
34-year-old Ricciardo, who had campaigned for a new RB monocoque starting from the Chinese GP, showcased a return to form in Miami, qualifying and finishing fourth in the sprint sessions.
Marko highlighted it as a "remarkable performance" and "a sensation."
"Ricciardo never got up to speed in the race, though," he commented. "Yuki (Tsunoda) set consistently fast times, while Ricciardo lacked the speed and confidence that was evident in the sprint."
Japanese racer Tsunoda's position within the Red Bull team seems secure.
"If Yuki continues to drive like he did in the rest of the races, then it will certainly be a good letter of recommendation that he is giving," Marko observed.
At the top team, Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez is reported to have secured a deal to stay next year, despite a risky move that nearly collided with teammate Max Verstappen at the start in Miami.
"I thought to myself 'For God's sake!'" Marko disclosed.
"It reminded me of Mexico, where Checo made a similar manoeuvre in the first corner. Thank God that turned out well as of course it would have been Waterloo if he had taken Max out."
"Overall, his race was good. The deficit was tolerable," Marko concluded.
