Zak Brown’s ‘strained’ relationship with Oscar Piastri could open door for Max Verstappen at McLaren
Photo by Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images If Max Verstappen were to follow Gianpiero Lambiase from Red Bull to McLaren, it would likely be Oscar Piastri he replaced, not Lando Norris. There had been speculation that Lambiase was being lined up as a future team principal at McLaren, but the team have since clarified that he has been brought in to support Andrea Stella and lead their racing team. Lambiase still has one more year left on his deal with Red Bull, who plan to keep him through the 2027 season.
Until then, he’ll remain as Red Bull’s head of racing and continue in his role as Verstappen’s race engineer. Oscar Piastri looks most likely to make room for Max Verstappen News of Lambiase heading to McLaren has added another layer of uncertainty to Verstappen’s future with Red Bull. Verstappen has already talked about possibly retiring from F1 after the 2026 season, and he’s expected to secure the right to terminate his contract early.
It’s a situation that will allow McLaren an opportunity if they want it, especially since Verstappen may now see them in a different light. The recent signing of Lambiase is one reason, but changes to the regulations in 2026 could be just as important if they show that McLaren can put together a truly competitive car. Signing Verstappen would likely mean offering him a record-breaking salary, as he is believed to earn close to £100m per season at Red Bull .
Then comes the question of which driver he’d replace: Norris or Piastri. In a straight choice between Norris and Piastri , it’s the Aussie who looks more vulnerable. While Brown enjoys a strong working relationship with Norris , his connection with Piastri has been described as ‘slightly strained’, partly due to how the 2025 title fight played out.
Read more: Ferrari may be lining up a move for a senior Red Bull figure who Max Verstappen does not trust David Coulthard thinks Mark Webber’s reduced role in Oscar Piastri’s team was ‘inevitable’ Adrian Newey admits some of Aston Martin’s 2026 F1 problems are down to him