'F** off F1!': Max Verstappen reveals 'rough' year for race engineer Lambiase

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

Red Bull

'F** off F1!': Max Verstappen reveals 'rough' year for race engineer Lambiase

Verstappen delivered a frank interview

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 18 December 2025 19:54

Max Verstappen has defended his F1 race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase after a 'rough' season for his Red Bull colleague.

Lambiase – also known as GP – and Verstappen have worked alongside one another at Red Bull since the Dutchman joined the team in 2016, coaching the champion through four world titles and 71 race wins.

Over the years, Verstappen has been known for his fiery outbursts at Lambiase with the likes of Lewis Hamilton criticising the way he treats his race engineer.

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Lambiase and Verstappen have always insisted that they have a strong relationship, and just how highly the champion regards his colleague was evident during a recent interview with Viaplay.

Verstappen defends Lambiase

Lambiase did not attend the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix due to personal reasons, and following the Abu Dhabi GP was visibly – and understandably – upset at the title loss.

Verstappen was asked how much Lambiase meant to him and eluded to how difficult the year had been in his personal life, although remained respectfully vague on the details.

“He’s had a really rough year and still does. And it’s really difficult actually. I can’t even fully comprehend myself how difficult it all is for him to do his job and then at home go on with life," Verstappen explained.

“It’s very difficult to describe. Of course you hear us sometimes on the radio having our moments and then afterwards I think sometimes, ‘should I have done that?’”

"On the track he’s also doing the best. Then you’ve had your weekend, then you go back to your home situation and then you think: F*** off with your F1!”

“I can’t of course fully understand his situation. I can try. My dad has seen him a few times in London and you talk about it of course.

"I know a little bit of what is going on in the background but you don’t want to keep asking about it all the time because in the end…you can’t do anything about it.

"I have asked, ‘do you need anything? If you need something say it, we’ll try and arrange it, everything that’s needed can be arranged.' But it’s just a really s***ty situation.”

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Gianpiero Lambiase