Jos Verstappen bluntly attributes Lambiase's McLaren move to money

Jos Verstappen, father of three-time champion Max, has bluntly countered McLaren team principal Andrea Stella's explanation for Gianpiero Lambiase's impending move, suggesting the primary motivator is financial. The comment adds a layer of personal candor to the high-profile departure of Max Verstappen's long-time race engineer, who is set to join McLaren as Chief Racing Officer by 2028.

Why it matters:

Lambiase's departure is a significant loss for Red Bull, representing another key figure exiting the team during a period of internal transition. Jos Verstappen's public, money-focused retort challenges the narrative of McLaren's project being the sole draw for top talent, highlighting the complex mix of professional opportunity and personal compensation that drives such moves in Formula 1's competitive market.

The details:

• The Catalyst: McLaren announced that Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, Max Verstappen's race engineer since 2016, will join the team as Chief Racing Officer "no later" than 2028.
• Stella's View: McLaren boss Andrea Stella framed the signing as proof of the team's growing appeal to "the best talents in Formula 1," calling it the "icing on the cake" for their structure.
• Jos's Retort: In a direct response on social media to a post quoting Stella, Jos Verstappen simply stated, "Because they're offering him a lot of money."
• Max's Blessing: Max Verstappen had previously revealed Lambiase sought his approval for the move, which he gave, stating his engineer would be "daft not to take" such a fantastic offer for his family's security.
• Role Evolution: At McLaren, Lambiase will take on responsibilities currently managed by Stella, allowing the team principal to focus on his core duties in what Stella called an "unsustainable" dual role long-term.

What's next:

The move formalizes in 2028, leaving a multi-season gap for Red Bull to find a new race engineer for their star driver. Jos Verstappen's comment, while characteristically direct, underscores the financial realities of F1's 'silly season' for personnel. The success of the transition for both Lambiase at McLaren and Verstappen's new engineering partnership at Red Bull will be closely watched, with potential implications for on-track performance and team dynamics.