F1 2026: Gianpiero Lambiase faces 'awkward scenario' after Red Bull exit announced

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Gianpiero Lambiase faces 'awkward scenario' after Red Bull F1 exit announced

What happens next now the cat is officially out of the bag?

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Tuesday 14 April 2026 12:55 Updated: 13:21

Gianpiero Lambiase is leaving Red Bull to continue his F1 career at McLaren, but he has not left yet. So what happens next for Max Verstappen's greatest ally?

The mighty Dutchman's long-time race engineer is moving teams after securing a major promotion to become Chief Racing Officer for the team in papaya. But unless somebody blinks, that will not happen until 2028.

The 45-year-old Lambiase has a contract through to the end of 2027 at Red Bull - which means an ‘awkward scenario’ according to former F1 star David Coulthard.

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Last week’s bombshell announcement told us when Lambiase will start his career with McLaren (2028, per both teams), but it did not tell us what the next 20 months hold in the meantime. Welcome to F1 limbo.

As yet there has been no public talk of gardening leave or an early end to GP's contract, and Coulthard knows first hand what that will mean for one of the greatest partnerships in the sport’s modern history.

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Coulthard on what happens next for Lambiase

Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, he explained: “I will just throw open another thought as we sort of contemplate that fact that GP will be moving on. He’s still got a contract with Red Bull.

“We expect him to still continue in that contract but of course one of the tricky moments for Red Bull is, he can’t walk out of the factory with a laptop with all the data at the end of the year, but what’s in your mind you’re allowed to take with you.

“So there will be a point where they are going to want to say ‘look you can’t really be working on this car or you certainly can’t be across any of the discussions about developments going into 2027 and beyond', so that becomes an awkward scenario.”

What it’s like to move teams in F1

Coulthard’s own personal experience comes from his Williams exit to join McLaren after the 1995 season. He explained what those final weeks and months at Williams were like.

“Now I’ve been there as a driver - at the end of 1995 I’d already signed for McLaren and you still go about the race weekend in a normal fashion. But I wasn’t any more allowed to go into certain areas in the factory when I went to Williams, understandably because I’m moving to another team.

“So it just starts to erode the relationship and makes it a little bit of a compromise. So what McLaren I’m sure would be hoping is that Red Bull would release GP early from his contract, release the obligation to pay his salary and allow him to join McLaren early.

“But on the other side, why would they want to do anything that gives your competitors an advantage?”

Buxton makes 2027 GP prediction

Coulthard’s co-host, F1 insider Will Buxton, believes an early exit is on the cards for Lambiase and he says last week’s announcements from both teams hinted as much.

“I do not believe we will see GP at Red Bull Racing in 2027,” he claimed.

“I think that the announcements were worded very delicately and very precisely by both McLaren and Red Bull, that leaves an opportunity for an early exit."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Gianpiero Lambiase