Max Verstappen to McLaren F1 - Zak Brown has just knocked over seismic first domino

Brown and Verstappen at McLaren — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen to McLaren - Zak Brown has just knocked over seismic first domino

First Gianpiero Lambiase, next Max Verstappen?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 10 April 2026 17:42

A key F1 transfer to McLaren could make a future move for Max Verstappen easier, according to an F1 insider.

Verstappen's long-term future at Red Bull - and indeed in the sport - has been called into question after reports in the Dutch media claimed he's 'seriously considering' quitting F1.

Red Bull have only looked capable of challenging in the midfield of F1 since new regulations swept into the sport, and Verstappen is down in ninth in the drivers' championship with just 12 points from the first three race weekends.

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The Milton Keynes-based outfit have lost a number of key figures from within their team over the last few seasons, and a close Verstappen ally has been added to that list this week.

Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is off to join world champions McLaren, with the move expected to happen in time for the 2028 F1 season.

28-year-old Verstappen is currently set to be out of contract at the end of 2028 at Red Bull, but unless the team can have a drastic turnaround in form, he's likely to leave before then.

And Dutch journalist Erik van Haren has suggested that McLaren's move for Lambiase is part of a ploy by CEO Zak Brown to keep an eye on Verstappen's availability, having one extra carrot to dangle in front of Verstappen should the time come for him to leave Red Bull.

Verstappen and Lambiase are great friends, and the British-Italian national has been the Dutchman's race engineer since he joined Red Bull back in 2016.

Who will be Verstappen's race engineer in Miami?

The next F1 race weekend in 2026 is not until the first weekend of May, at the Miami Grand Prix.

Lambiase will still be Verstappen's race engineer for that race weekend, with Red Bull confirming in a statement that he will continue in his role as head of racing and as Verstappen's race engineer until he leaves the team.

That leaving date is set to be at the end of his current contract, which runs until the 2028 season, before he then joins up with McLaren.

Verstappen's contract also runs out at Red Bull in 2028, and time will tell as to whether or not the pair will work together again in the future.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Zak Brown Gianpiero Lambiase