Horner shares GP Lambiase's 'hidden talent' as engineer's McLaren move looms
Christian Horner highlighted Gianpiero Lambiase's musical side on social media as the engineer's move to McLaren was announced, marking another key departure from Red Bull. Horner also confirmed the end of his own gardening leave but indicated a return to F1 is not imminent, with no role expected before September at the earliest.
Christian Horner has revealed a lighter side to Max Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, sharing images of his musical talents just as the key Red Bull figure's impending move to McLaren was confirmed. The former team principal also provided an update on his own potential return to the Formula 1 paddock, now that his gardening leave period has officially ended.
Why it matters:
Lambiase's departure is a significant loss for Red Bull, representing the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the reigning champions. Horner's public, personal send-off highlights the close-knit relationships within the team's inner circle, even as its technical brain trust continues to disperse to rivals. Meanwhile, Horner's own future remains a major topic of speculation in the paddock.
The details:
- Horner took to Instagram to post a series of images from what appears to be a social gathering, captioning a photo of Lambiase playing drums at Silverstone as "GP's hidden talent."
- Other photos showed F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and 1996 world champion Damon Hill playing guitar, along with a group dubbed the 'Spice Boys'—including Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, and Brendon Hartley—preparing to sing.
- The posts came shortly after it was confirmed that Lambiase, Verstappen's long-time race engineer and the team's Head of Racing, will join McLaren after his Red Bull contract expires, no later than the 2028 season.
- Horner's Status: Horner's own nine-month period of gardening leave, imposed after his dismissal ahead of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, ended this week, technically freeing him to work in F1 again.
- However, sources indicate he is not expected to return before the summer break, with September being the earliest potential timeframe, and even that is contingent on a suitable opportunity arising.
What's next:
The focus now shifts to how Red Bull manages the transition of another critical team member and who will fill the race engineer role for Max Verstappen. For Horner, the search for a new role in the sport begins in earnest, though the options at the pinnacle of the sport appear limited for the foreseeable future. The musical interlude serves as a poignant, personal footnote to a period of substantial change for one of F1's most dominant teams.