Helmut Marko pulled out ‘last grey hairs’ after seeing what Liam Lawson did at Singapore Grand Prix

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Liam Lawson has fond memories of the Singapore Grand Prix, yet the 2025 race saw the Racing Bulls driver register his worst classified finish through the last 15 rounds.

Not since Lawson only managed P16 in the Bahrain Grand Prix back in April had the 23-year-old finished a race as low down the order as he managed in the Singapore GP on Sunday. He also hit the chequered flag 9.810s behind rookie Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar in P11.

Lawson’s result was a far cry from his only previous start in a Singapore GP in 2023 after the New Zealander scored his first points as an F1 driver standing in for Daniel Ricciardo with P9. It was also not the result he required, with Lawson fighting to secure a future on the F1 grid.

Hastings native Lawson also only qualified P14 for the 2025 Singapore GP, but he started the race from P12 after both Williams drivers were disqualified from qualifying. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon still managed to finish Sunday’s race in front of Lawson as they took P10 and P14.

Helmut Marko ‘pulled out his last grey hairs’ after Liam Lawson crashed twice in Singapore Grand Prix practice

Lawson struggled throughout the 2025 Singapore GP event, in fact, as the Racing Bulls gem crashed twice in practice. The red flags were out after Lawson crashed at Turn 17 during FP2 for the Singapore GP, and they were out again in FP3 when the Kiwi hit the barrier at Turn 7.

READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know

Jeroen Bleekemolen believes Lawson’s second practice crash at the Singapore GP in FP3 on Saturday was “too much” for Red Bull, as the parent team decides his future at Racing Bulls. It was especially too much for Helmut Marko, who Bleekemolen suggests pulled out his hair.

Bleekemolen said on Paddockpraat: “I think he’s made too many mistakes now. Putting that car in the wall twice, yeah, that might have been one too many. It’s definitely too much for Red Bull, anyway.

“Helmut Marko, I think he pulled out his last grey hairs when that happened the second time. The first time, he said, ‘Well, OK, that can happen, it’s part of street racing’. But then immediately after that, he crashes again.

“But I also thought he’s been perking up a bit lately, combing back a bit. So, he does have talent, but he’s just not in the right place and not comfortable in his own skin.”

Liam Lawson is fighting for his F1 career at Racing Bulls

Bleekemolen is not alone to claim that Lawson crashing his Racing Bulls during the second and third practice sessions for the Singapore GP would not sit well with Red Bull motorsport adviser Marko. It was also a huge comedown after Lawson’s career-best finish in Azerbaijan.

Martin Brundle also suggested that Lawson’s crashes in Singapore would not impress Marko at a time that the Kiwi is fighting for his future in F1 at the junior Red Bull team. It is a three-way battle between Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Yuki Tsunoda for the two Racing Bulls seats.

Lawson scoring a career-best P5 in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the ideal message to give Marko that Red Bull should keep him in the Racing Bulls line-up next season, when Hadjar is expected to join the senior team. But Lawson must deliver consistent results, and not crash.