Max Verstappen ally Gianpiero Lambiase 'in talks' with F1 rival over move

Max Verstappen's Red Bull F1 race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is in talks with Aston Martin over a potential move, according to reports.

Lambiase has been Verstappen's engineer since 2016, and has seen the Dutchman win four world championship titles.

However, last year saw Verstappen miss out by two points on a fifth consecutive world title, in a season of change at Red Bull.

The team sacked their long-time team principal Christian Horner and replaced him with Laurent Mekies, while Helmut Marko has now also departed the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

That has preceded a 2026 season in which Red Bull are undergoing a new era, producing their own power units in partnership with Ford having ended their partnership with Honda, who have now moved onto Aston Martin.

Aston Martin also have former Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey as their team principal, after he joined the Silverstone outfit earlier in 2025.

And now, The Race are reporting that another key Red Bull figure in Lambiase could be set for a move to Aston Martin.

They are claiming that talks have taken place between Lambiase and Aston Martin about a senior position at the Silverstone-based outfit.

Following the Abu Dhabi GP in which Verstappen narrowly missed out on the title, the Dutchman cryptically said over team radio: "We showed them one final time who's boss," which led to suggestions that Lambiase could be out the door.

Lambiase's 'rough year'

Following the Abu Dhabi GP, Lambiase was visibly upset on the pit wall, with some suggestion that he had taken the championship defeat particularly hard.

But Verstappen has recently revealed that it could have been a reason away from F1 that caused the tears to flow.

Lambiase missed the Belgian GP earlier this year for personal reasons, and Verstappen expanded upon Lambiase's 'rough year' during his end of season interview with Viaplay.

"He’s had a really rough year and still does," Verstappen said. "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.

"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!'"

READ MORE: Max Verstappen issues early retirement threat to F1

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