Max Verstappen ‘loses biggest F1 ally’ – with his Red Bull exit now looking inevitable

Max Verstappen ’s esteemed F1 race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to join McLaren from Red Bull , according to reports in Dutch media. British engineer Lambiase, who has worked with Verstappen since the driver’s Red Bull debut in 2016, is poised to link up with McLaren in a senior role. The 45-year-old was linked with moves to Aston Martin and Williams before the 2026 season.

Lambiase has a contract until 2027 and would not leave Red Bull – where he has combined roles as Verstappen’s engineer with the team’s ‘Head of Racing’ since 2025 – immediately. A report in Dutch outlet De Limburger suggests 2028 could be Lambiase’s start date. The news makes Verstappen’s exit from Red Bull , if not F1, more likely and perhaps even inevitable.

The four-time world champion has already mooted retiring from the sport at the end of the current season, given his dissatisfaction with the new cars and regulations, and has previously vocalised how Lambiase is one of his three key allies in the sport, alongside father Jos and Red Bull’s former adviser Helmut Marko, who retired at the end of last season. The Independent has approached Red Bull and McLaren for comment. Lambiase is the latest member of Red Bull’s hierarchy to swap the Austrian drinks company for the papaya-clad outfit.

Senior designer Rob Marshall and strategy guru Will Courtenay have all made the same transfer in recent years. Long-term team principal Christian Horner was also sacked last summer, with former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley joining Audi as team principal last year – a position he has since vacated. Adrian Newey also left in 2025 for Aston Martin.