F1 champion Max Verstappen's race engineer 'embarrassed' over team radio comment at Italian GP

Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen, generic, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Italian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen race engineer 'embarrassed' over team radio comment at Italian GP

Gianpiero Lambiase was a little embarrassed by the comment

Jan Bolscher Senior Editor en Formule 1-verslaggever

Geaccrediteerde sportjournalist, doet verslag vanuit de Formule 1-paddock sinds 2019

Tuesday 9 September 2025 21:57

Gianpiero Lambiase has playfully reminisced about his team radio interaction with Max Verstappen following the four-time F1 world champion’s dominant victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

Verstappen delivered a masterclass in speed during Sunday's Italian GP at Monza. Early in the race, the Red Bull driver briefly tangled with Lando Norris before driving off into the distance.

His performance earned worldwide acclaim, with experts, analysts, and even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praising his blistering pace that left the rest of the field in his dust.

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After the chequered flag was waved, Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, summed up the performance with a simple 'Fantastico' over the radio. His distinctly British-tinged accent sparked plenty of laughs on social media.

Later, when asked by Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz about his accent and asked to do it again with more Italian flair, Lambiase admitted with a chuckle, "I’m probably the most embarrassed about the accent I used there."

Verstappen sparks social media buzz

Another memorable radio moment came from Verstappen himself. When Lambiase advised him in the final stages of the race to play it safe and ensure a clean finish, Verstappen replied: "No risks, full push."

This remark, too, quickly made waves across social media platforms, with the contradictory tone clearly designed to try and wind Lambiase up as the race reached its conclusion.

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