Max Verstappen’s racing engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren as chief racing officer in 2028.
Following the news that GP will be going to McLaren, Red Bull subsequently confirming the eventual exit from the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Lambiase joined Red Bull from Force India in 2015 and has been Max Verstappen’s race engineer ever since Max joined the team from Toro Rosso in May 2016. Together, they won four drivers’ world championship from 2021 to 2024, while Lambiase took on additional responsibilities as head of race engineering, then head of racing.
At McLaren, Lambiase will report to team principal Andrea Stella. “The role of the chief racing officer already exists within the team’s structure with overall leadership of the race team. These duties are currently managed by Andrea Stella in addition to his role as team principal,” the outfit explained in a press release.
“The team’s ability to attract and secure top talent, like Lambiase, and previously Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay,” it continued, referring to two longtime Red Bull engineers previously poached by McLaren, “alongside the retention and promotion of highly-talented people already within the team, is a testament to the strategic vision and culture that are integrally embodied in the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team under the leadership of Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, who are also both on long-term contracts.”
Interestingly, while Red Bull said Lambiase was going to leave the team “in 2028, when his current contract expires”, McLaren states it looks forward to “welcoming Gianpiero Lambiase when his existing contract ends, no later than 2028”.
This is interesting news that GP is leaving Red Bull. Nearly all the top figures that has shaped the championship success at the outfit is no longer there especially Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, it will be fascinating if Max will quit following his race engineer switching sides to join rival McLaren.
McLaren’s press release:
Lambiase will take on the existing role of Chief Racing Officer, reporting into Team Principal Andrea Stella
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McLaren Racing is pleased to announce that GianPiero Lambiase will join the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team as Chief Racing Officer, reporting to Team Principal, Andrea Stella.
The role of the Chief Racing Officer already exists within the team’s structure, with overall leadership of the race team. These duties are currently managed by Andrea Stella in addition to his role as Team Principal.
Lambiase is the latest hire designed to strengthen and support the talent pool that exists at McLaren Mastercard, while also reaffirming the team’s long-term commitment to confirming its position as a Championship-winning team.
The team’s ability to attract and secure top talent, like Lambiase, and previously Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay, alongside the retention and promotion of highly-talented people already within the team, is a testament to the strategic vision and culture that are integrally embodied in the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team under the leadership of Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, who are also both on long-term contracts.
The team look forward to welcoming GianPiero Lambiase when his existing contract ends, no later than 2028.
https://www.mclaren.com/racing/formula-1/2026/gianpiero-lambiase-joins-mclaren-mastercard-f1-team-chief-racing-officer/
News stories:
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/max-verstappens-race-engineer-gianpiero-lambiase-to-leave-red-bull-in-2028.5QVkhqOu9rWXJGMEyPFD81
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gianpiero-lambiases-red-bull-exit-leaves-f1-fans-with-one-question/10811729/
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/key-takeaways-mclaren-signing-max-verstappen-engineer-lambiase/10811681/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cedexn47qzlo
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13529532/max-verstappens-red-bull-engineer-gianpiero-lambiase-set-to-join-mclaren-in-2028-in-shock-move-having-turned-down-aston-martin
Red Bull has confirmed that Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will leave at the end of the 2027 Formula 1 campaign.
Lambiase has long been the subject of intense interest across the paddock, as the 45-year-old weighed up his options last winter. Amid links with Aston Martin and Williams, Lambiase ultimately chose to remain in place at Red Bull, where he not only performs the job of Verstappen’s race engineer but also a more overarching trackside role as head of racing.
But then it emerged on Thursday morning, first reported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, that he was set to leave the Austrian outfit when his contract expires at the end of the 2027 season. Red Bull has since confirmed that will take place.
Its short statement read: “Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave the team in 2028, when his current contract expires. “GP” is a valued member of the team, which he joined in 2015.
“Until his planned departure, “GP” continues in his roles as head of racing and as race engineer to Max Verstappen. The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together.”
It is understood that he has agreed a deal to join rival McLaren for the 2028 campaign in a senior trackside role that would support team principal Andrea Stella.
With Stella part of the new generation of engineering-first team principals with a wide remit both across a race weekend and at the factory, Lambiase’s arrival would help take some load off the Italian’s plate as he looks after a team well north of 1000 staff.
However, speculation that Lambiase’s move is part of a long-term plan to succeed Stella, amid alleged Ferrari interest in its former engineer, is understood to be wide of the mark.
The switch would follow a similar playbook as the one made by Red Bull’s former head of strategy Will Courtenay, who was also made to wait until the start of this season to join McLaren.
Lambiase could still join McLaren before 2028 if the two teams agree a deal for an early release.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gianpiero-lambiase-could-leave-red-bull-and-join-mclaren-in-2028/10811617/