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Max Verstappen to lose right-hand man to F1 rival McLaren bombshell report claims
Max Verstappen’s race engineer is reportedly set to join F1 rival McLaren.
Max Verstappen’s right-hand man, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, is set to join Formula 1 rival McLaren, according to bombshell reports in the Netherlands.
Lambiase, who is also head of racing at Red Bull, is said to have accepted an “astronomical offer” to join McLaren in 2028, as first reported by Dutch publication De Limburger.
The 45-year-old British engineer was linked to Aston Martin and Williams but it is McLaren who appears to have won his services in a huge coup.
According to sources, Lambiase has been offered a major increase in salary by the reigning world champions, who completed a historic world championship double in 2025.
There is also scope for Lambiase to one day take over as McLaren team principal, according to further reports in De Telegraaf.
McLaren is said to be bracing for the possible departure of current team principal Andrea Stella, who is being linked with a potential return to Ferrari, where he began his F1 career in 2000 as a performance engineer before serving as race engineer to Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.
Lambiase will be the latest high-profile figure to leave Red Bull and join McLaren, following in the footsteps of chief designer Rob Marshall and chief strategist Will Courtenay.
Last July Christian Horner was sacked from his position of team principal and CEO, while advisor Helmut Marko, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley and technical director Adrian Newey have all departed in the past 12 months or more.
More doubts for Max Verstappen’s future
Lambiase’s exit marks a massive blow for Verstappen, with the pair forming one of the strongest driver-engineer relationships in F1.
Lambiase has built up a deep personal relationship with Verstappen, having served as the Dutchman’s race engineer ever since he joined Red Bull four races into the 2016 season.
The pair won four consecutive drivers’ world championships and two constructors’ titles together during that time.
It leaves further doubts over Verstappen’s long-term future in F1.
The 28-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028 but is considering walking away from F1 due to his displeasure with the new regulations.
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Max Verstappen’s race engineer is reportedly set to join F1 rival McLaren.
Max Verstappen’s right-hand man, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, is set to join Formula 1 rival McLaren, according to bombshell reports in the Netherlands.
Lambiase, who is also head of racing at Red Bull, is said to have accepted an “astronomical offer” to join McLaren in 2028, as first reported by Dutch publication De Limburger.
The 45-year-old British engineer was linked to Aston Martin and Williams but it is McLaren who appears to have won his services in a huge coup.
According to sources, Lambiase has been offered a major increase in salary by the reigning world champions, who completed a historic world championship double in 2025.
There is also scope for Lambiase to one day take over as McLaren team principal, according to further reports in De Telegraaf.
McLaren is said to be bracing for the possible departure of current team principal Andrea Stella, who is being linked with a potential return to Ferrari, where he began his F1 career in 2000 as a performance engineer before serving as race engineer to Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.
Lambiase will be the latest high-profile figure to leave Red Bull and join McLaren, following in the footsteps of chief designer Rob Marshall and chief strategist Will Courtenay.
Last July Christian Horner was sacked from his position of team principal and CEO, while advisor Helmut Marko, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley and technical director Adrian Newey have all departed in the past 12 months or more.
More doubts for Max Verstappen’s future
Lambiase’s exit marks a massive blow for Verstappen, with the pair forming one of the strongest driver-engineer relationships in F1.
Lambiase has built up a deep personal relationship with Verstappen, having served as the Dutchman’s race engineer ever since he joined Red Bull four races into the 2016 season.
The pair won four consecutive drivers’ world championships and two constructors’ titles together during that time.
It leaves further doubts over Verstappen’s long-term future in F1.
The 28-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028 but is considering walking away from F1 due to his displeasure with the new regulations.
Max Verstappen’s right-hand man, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, is set to join Formula 1 rival McLaren, according to bombshell reports in the Netherlands.
Lambiase, who is also head of racing at Red Bull, is said to have accepted an “astronomical offer” to join McLaren in 2028, as first reported by Dutch publication De Limburger.
The 45-year-old British engineer was linked to Aston Martin and Williams but it is McLaren who appears to have won his services in a huge coup.
According to sources, Lambiase has been offered a major increase in salary by the reigning world champions, who completed a historic world championship double in 2025.
There is also scope for Lambiase to one day take over as McLaren team principal, according to further reports in De Telegraaf.
McLaren is said to be bracing for the possible departure of current team principal Andrea Stella, who is being linked with a potential return to Ferrari, where he began his F1 career in 2000 as a performance engineer before serving as race engineer to Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.
Lambiase will be the latest high-profile figure to leave Red Bull and join McLaren, following in the footsteps of chief designer Rob Marshall and chief strategist Will Courtenay.
Last July Christian Horner was sacked from his position of team principal and CEO, while advisor Helmut Marko, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley and technical director Adrian Newey have all departed in the past 12 months or more.
More doubts for Max Verstappen’s future
Lambiase’s exit marks a massive blow for Verstappen, with the pair forming one of the strongest driver-engineer relationships in F1.
Lambiase has built up a deep personal relationship with Verstappen, having served as the Dutchman’s race engineer ever since he joined Red Bull four races into the 2016 season.
The pair won four consecutive drivers’ world championships and two constructors’ titles together during that time.
It leaves further doubts over Verstappen’s long-term future in F1.
The 28-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028 but is considering walking away from F1 due to his displeasure with the new regulations.
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