Verstappens knew of Lambiase's McLaren move

Max Verstappen and his father, Jos, were aware for some time that the driver's long-time Red Bull race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, would be leaving the team for McLaren in 2028. Jos Verstappen confirmed the knowledge, stating the family understood and supported the "huge opportunity" for Lambiase, who will become McLaren's chief racing officer. The move reignites questions about Max Verstappen's own future, given his past comments about only wanting to work with Lambiase and his vocal skepticism about F1's upcoming 2026 regulations.

Why it matters:

The relationship between a driver and their race engineer is one of the most critical and trusted partnerships in Formula 1. Lambiase has been a constant in Verstappen's ear for all three of his world championships, making his departure a significant operational change for Red Bull. Furthermore, it directly tests Verstappen's past ultimatum about his career, adding a major layer of uncertainty to his long-term commitment just as the sport heads into a pivotal regulatory shift.

The details:

• Jos Verstappen revealed in an interview that he and Max had known "for a while" about Lambiase's planned move to McLaren and when it would happen.
• Lambiase's current Red Bull contract runs through 2027, after which he will join McLaren in the newly created role of Chief Racing Officer, reporting directly to Team Principal Andrea Stella.
• The Verstappens expressed support for the move, with Jos stating, "We also told him to do it and grab it with both hands."
• The news brings Max Verstappen's own 2021 comments back into focus, where he told Dutch media, "I have said to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too."
• Verstappen has not publicly reconfirmed or walked back that statement following this news.
• Separately, Verstappen has been openly critical of F1's 2026 car regulations, describing them as "Formula E on steroids" and suggesting he could reconsider his future if he does not enjoy driving the new cars.

What's next:

The immediate focus shifts to Red Bull's succession planning. The team has roughly two years to identify and integrate a new race engineer for its star driver, a process that will be closely watched. All eyes will now be on Verstappen to see if he clarifies his position regarding his future with Red Bull post-Lambiase. His existing contract runs through the end of 2028, but his dissatisfaction with the 2026 rules and Lambiase's departure create two potential exit ramps—one at the end of 2026 and another at the end of 2027—that could dramatically alter the F1 grid.