Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is poised to depart Red Bull Racing and take up a senior role at McLaren in a surprising move set for 2028.
According to reports, Lambiase will step into the position of head of race engineering at McLaren. The 45-year-old had previously rejected an offer from Aston Martin to become team principal, but McLaren’s proposal is understood to have been more appealing.
Lambiase is expected to remain with Red Bull until he is formally released from his current commitments.
A move that could impact Verstappen’s future
The development carries significant implications for Max Verstappen, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of his working relationship with Lambiase.
The Dutch driver has previously stated he would consider leaving Formula 1 if Lambiase were no longer his race engineer, making this change potentially pivotal to the four-time world champion’s long-term future.
Lambiase has been Verstappen’s sole race engineer since the driver joined Red Bull in 2016, forming one of the most successful partnerships in modern F1.
McLaren structure unchanged despite senior hire
Lambiase’s arrival will not affect the position of the current McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella.
Stella, who joined McLaren from Ferrari in 2015 and became team principal in 2023, has overseen a period of major success, guiding the team to back-to-back constructors’ championships over the last two seasons.
Both Red Bull and McLaren have declined to comment on the reported move.
Verstappen’s uncertainty grows amid regulation concerns
The timing of the move adds further uncertainty around Verstappen’s future in the sport. The reigning champion has been openly critical of Formula 1’s 2026 regulation changes.
Speaking at the most recent race in Japan, Verstappen suggested he could walk away from F1 at the end of the current season, despite being contracted to Red Bull until 2028.
Continued talent shift away from Red Bull
Lambiase would become the latest high-profile departure from Red Bull to join McLaren.
- Rob Marshall moved to McLaren as technical director in 2024
- Will Courtenay joined as sporting director this year
Red Bull has also seen other major exits recently:
- Legendary designer Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin last year
- Long-time team principal Christian Horner departed
- Advisor Helmut Marko also left the team
These changes mark a significant shift in personnel at one of Formula 1’s most dominant teams of recent years.
Verstappen and Lambiase: A unique partnership
The relationship between Verstappen and Lambiase has often been compared to a “marriage,” with their direct and sometimes blunt radio exchanges attracting attention.
Despite this, Verstappen has consistently praised the clarity and honesty of their communication.
After securing his first world title in 2021, he made his stance clear:
“I have said to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too,”
“Of course, we can be pretty strict with each other sometimes, but I want that too. He has to tell me when I’m being a jerk and I have to tell him. I always told him that.”
Their radio exchanges have occasionally been perceived as tense, particularly during difficult races, but Verstappen has defended the dynamic:
“That’s how we operate,”
“I think we know each other very well from all the years we have been working together.”
What happens next?
With Lambiase’s departure now looming, attention will turn to how Red Bull restructures its engineering team—and whether Verstappen remains committed to the sport without his trusted voice on the pit wall.
The 2028 move may still be some time away, but its ripple effects are already being felt in the Formula 1 paddock during the enforced Spring Break.
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