Key Max Verstappen ally’s Red Bull future decided

Max Verstappen will continue to be partnered with trusted race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase in 2026, multiple reports have claimed.

There had been some rumours bubbling up that Londoner was the subject of interest from teams including Aston Martin and Williams, but the decision appears to have been definitively made to stay in place for the coming season.

As well as being Verstappen's race engineer, Lambiase is also Red Bull's head of racing, a position the team would have to scramble to fill with the first race of the season just two months away.

Lambiase's role in 2026 was always set to be discussed internally over the winter due to private circumstances, but De Telegraaf and other outlets now report that he will remain firmly ensconced in his current role to start this season.

Lambiase unlikely to land with new team soon

If Verstappen's long-time engineer had chosen to move elsewhere, he likely wouldn't have been in place with a new team for some time. His Red Bull contract runs through 2027, and F1 teams are notorious for ensuring that employees under contract have a period of gardening leave before joining a rival.

Chief strategy Will Courtenay, for example, was announced as McLaren's pick for sporting director all the way back in September 2024, but didn't start working for the papaya team until this week.

Even that is earlier than expected, with Red Bull initially announcing that he would see out his contract, which didn't expire until the summer of 2026, before the teams came to an agreement.

Lambiase's decision doesn't preclude him from moving into a different role later in the year if his circumstances change – or coming to an agreement with another team further down the line.

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