Lambiase to Remain Verstappen's Engineer at Red Bull, Fending Off Rival Interest

Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's race engineer and a key architect of his four world titles, will remain with Red Bull for the 2026 season. This decision comes despite significant interest from rival teams, most notably Aston Martin, who reportedly targeted him for a senior leadership role. Lambiase's current contract runs until the end of 2027, making any potential move a long-term prospect and solidifying his commitment to the team for the foreseeable future.

Why it matters:

The Verstappen-Lambiase partnership is the bedrock of Red Bull's recent dominance, and its continuity is vital for the team's 2026 title defense under new regulations. Retaining a key figure like Lambiase provides crucial stability and maintains the critical driver-engineer synergy that has been so successful. For rival teams, this represents a missed opportunity to acquire top-tier talent and potentially disrupt Red Bull's winning formula.

The details:

• Rival Pursuit: Aston Martin was aggressively pursuing Lambiase for a senior management role, with reports suggesting a position as high as team principal or CEO was on the table. Other teams, including Williams, were also reportedly monitoring his situation.
• Contractual Barrier: The primary obstacle for any suitors is Lambiase's contract, which extends until the end of 2027. This means even if he agreed to a deal elsewhere, he would likely be unavailable for up to two full seasons unless an early release was negotiated.
• Role Clarification: There had been speculation that Lambiase might step back from his hands-on race engineering duties to focus solely on his role as Head of Racing, a position he was promoted to following Jonathan Wheatley's departure. However, Red Bull has confirmed he will continue in both roles for 2026.
• Red Bull's Precedent: The team has a history of allowing senior personnel to see out their contracts after they've agreed to join rivals.
  • Recent Example: Former head of race strategy Will Courtenay recently departed for McLaren's sporting director role after an extended notice period, despite his new deal being agreed upon in 2024.

What's next:

For now, Lambiase's focus remains firmly on leading Red Bull's engineering efforts and supporting Verstappen's bid for a fifth world title in 2026. While his long-term future beyond his 2027 contract will likely continue to be a topic of speculation, his immediate commitment provides a significant boost to the team as they navigate the new power unit regulations. Rival teams, meanwhile, will have to look elsewhere for the personnel upgrades needed to challenge the grid's top team.