Max Verstappen backs Gianpiero Lambiase's Red Bull exit

Max Verstappen has reacted to the surprise that his long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will leave Red Bull for a senior role at McLaren in 2028. The Dutch champion called the offer “daft not to take” and noted they have already achieved everything together.

Why it matters:

• Their partnership helped Red Bull win four drivers’ titles since 2016, making Lambiase a key technical asset.
• Losing him to McLaren could tip the engineering talent balance and affect Red Bull’s set‑up continuity during a weak start to 2024.

The details:

• Lambiase has been Verstappen’s race engineer from mid‑2016 through 2027.
• He will join McLaren in a senior engineering role, a move he disclosed to Verstappen before the announcement.
• Verstappen told Viaplay: “He told me what kind of offer he’d received… I said you’d be daft not to take it.” He added the offer benefits his family.
• Jos Verstappen said his son will “just continue” with Red Bull despite the exit; Max currently sits ninth after three rounds.

What’s next:

• Red Bull is expected to promote from within or hire externally to fill the race‑engineer slot, aiming to preserve set‑up consistency.
• The new engineer’s ability to rebuild chemistry will be crucial as the championship remains wide open.