Gianpiero Lambiase to Remain as Max Verstappen's Race Engineer at Red Bull for 2026
Despite links to rival teams, Gianpiero Lambiase will stay as Max Verstappen's race engineer at Red Bull for 2026, ensuring stability for the three-time champion amid wider staff changes.
Gianpiero Lambiase will remain as Max Verstappen's race engineer at Red Bull for 2026, quelling speculation about his future. The decision comes despite significant interest from rival teams and provides crucial stability for the three-time champion amid wider changes within the team's engineering staff.
Why it matters:
The Verstappen-Lambiase partnership is one of the most successful and crucial in modern F1, with their on-track chemistry a core component of Red Bull's recent dominance. Lambiase's role has expanded beyond a typical race engineer to head of racing, giving him significant influence over the team's strategic direction. Retaining a key figure like him provides a vital anchor for Verstappen as Red Bull navigates a period of internal flux and prepares for the massive 2026 regulation changes.
The details:
- Rival Interest: Lambiase was heavily linked with moves to Aston Martin and Williams, with his reputation as one of the grid's premier engineers making him a hot commodity on the personnel market.
- Contractual Situation: His current Red Bull contract runs until the end of 2027, meaning a move for 2026 was always complex and would have required significant negotiation, similar to Will Courtenay's eventual move to McLaren.
- Team Turnover: The engineering team around Verstappen is seeing significant changes. Performance engineer Tom Hart will stay for 2026 but is confirmed to be joining Williams in 2027. Several other long-standing engineers, including David Geoffrey Mart, have already departed for Audi's 2026 project. Verstappen's No. 1 mechanic, Matt Caller, also left for the Audi outfit last year.
Looking ahead:
With Lambiase secured, Red Bull has a stable leadership foundation around its star driver for the 2026 season and its new technical regulations. However, his long-term future beyond next year remains a talking point. Given his contract runs until the end of 2027, he will likely continue to be a target for top teams seeking to build a championship-winning structure.