McCullough will take over for Lambiase at Red Bull.

      As Verstappen is anticipated to create a surprise at Monza

      Red Bull has announced that Tom McCullough will join the team as its new Head of Racing at the beginning of 2027. Previously, it was reported that he would succeed Gianpiero Lambiase, who is preparing to move to McLaren. “We’re thrilled to welcome Tom to the team at the start of 2027 and look forward to the extensive experience and expertise he brings to the position,” said Red Bull.

      This announcement comes as Red Bull approaches Monza, feeling optimistic that Max Verstappen could deliver one of the season's surprises. Former F1 driver Christijan Albers told De Telegraaf that the RB22's low-downforce qualities should suit the track exceptionally well. “It's basically nearly impossible to predict how the Italian GP weekend will unfold,” he explained. “But I’m confident that Red Bull can compete with Max. They perform exceptionally well on low-downforce circuits.”

      Verstappen had also shown competitiveness at Spa, another track where straight-line speed is crucial. “Max’s car is quick on the straights,” Albers remarked, “so I believe they will be strong contenders in Italy.” He stated, “I think Max can achieve one of the major surprises of the 2026 season at Monza.”

      Albers also pointed out that championship leader Kimi Antonelli is facing a grid penalty due to the ADUO upgrade. “In my opinion, Max has a solid chance in Monza since Antonelli has to serve his penalty for the installation of new engine components,” the Dutchman noted.

      However, Albers expects Verstappen's title challenge to become significantly tougher after Monza. “I think it will likely come down to a battle between Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes and Lando Norris in the McLaren.” Norris arrives at Monza following victories in the last two races in Hungary and Zandvoort, but McLaren is cautioning that the Italian circuit could change the competitive landscape.

      Technical director Neil Houldey stated, “We understand we've had a fast car in the last few races, but we are not assuming anything.” He added, “This track is very different from the last ones, and we can anticipate that the competitive order may not align with what we have seen in Hungary and the Netherlands.”

      McLaren has also confirmed that its H-Wing – its version of the ‘Macarena’ rotating rear-wing concept – will make its race weekend debut at Monza after undergoing testing in Hungary. “This weekend, we have brought what we believe is necessary to be competitive, including a new low-drag rear wing design, which features our H-Wing for the first time,” Houldey said. The team noted that the name of the system is a deliberate homage to the famous 2010 F-duct, taking the "H" from the Etihad Airways branding on the rear wing.