Verstappen's race engineer will take on the role of the new team principal at McLaren.
Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, Max Verstappen's long-time race engineer, is reportedly poised to leave Red Bull for McLaren, according to reliable sources in the Netherlands and Belgium. The news was initially reported by De Limburger, which indicated that Lambiase aims to "eventually succeed Andrea Stella as team principal." This report has been corroborated by De Telegraaf, which states that Lambiase has accepted an "astronomical offer" from McLaren.
The respected Dutch publication also notes that Lambiase is under contract with Red Bull until 2027, with the switch to McLaren expected in 2028 after negotiations regarding exit conditions. At 45 years old, Lambiase has been Verstappen's race engineer since Verstappen joined Red Bull in 2016, establishing one of the most successful driver-engineer partnerships in Formula 1 history.
This potential transfer signifies another significant shift from Red Bull to McLaren following the departures of other key figures such as Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay. Neither Red Bull nor McLaren has commented on the situation.
De Telegraaf also mentions that Lambiase had garnered interest from Aston Martin and Williams, but McLaren ultimately secured his signature through a compelling financial and career proposal. Currently serving as head of racing at Red Bull, Lambiase's move to McLaren may position him for a leadership role, especially with uncertainty surrounding Andrea Stella, who has been rumored to be returning to Ferrari.
This development occurs amid broader instability at Red Bull, which has seen the exit of several senior personnel in recent seasons. Additionally, another former Red Bull member, Jonathan Wheatley, is expected to reappear at Aston Martin later this year. Reports indicate that Wheatley, who recently left Audi and is currently on gardening leave, may take on the role of team principal at Aston Martin after the summer break, with Adrian Newey remaining in a diminished leadership capacity until then. Furthermore, it is reported that Renault CEO Francois Provost has declined Christian Horner's offer to purchase the 24 percent Alpine stake owned by Otro Capital due to concerns about instilling instability similar to that of Red Bull.
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Verstappen's race engineer will take on the role of the new team principal at McLaren.
Formula 1 | Long-time race engineer for Max Verstappen, Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, is reportedly departing Red Bull to join McLaren, as indicated by reliable sources in the (…)