Max Verstappen to McLaren: Red Bull icon on how shock F1 move could happen

Max Verstappen's F1 future is all anyone can talk about after the bombshell broke during the enforced spring break that his trusty race engineer would be making the switch to McLaren in the coming years.

Gianpiero Lambiase has been Verstappen's right-hand man at Red Bull since day one, with the 28-year-old even revealing a few years back that he would refuse to work with any other race engineer.

In 2021, the now four-time champion told Dutch media: "I told him (Lambiase) that I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop."

So, with the confirmation that Lambiase will be heading to the papaya F1 squad when his contract ends in 2028 (or perhaps earlier if Red Bull and McLaren can strike a deal) where does this leave Verstappen?

Red Bull's star driver is already said to be 'seriously considering' retirement due to his dislike of the F1 2026 regulations, but now, rumours of a potential driver swap with McLaren have emerged.

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The one scenario that could see Verstappen at McLaren

In the immediate aftermath of the announcement that Lambiase would be leaving Red Bull for McLaren, many suggested a driver swap could take place between the Dutchman and McLaren star Oscar Piastri.

But on a recent episode of the Up to Speed podcast following the news of GP's team switch, former Red Bull star David Coulthard suggested that he felt it was reigning champion Lando Norris who could find himself at the centre of Verstappen's potential McLaren move, but only on one condition.

Coulthard achieved legend status in F1 during his own time with McLaren, where he finished third in the drivers' championship behind team-mate Mika Hakkinen and future seven-time champion Michael Schumacher.

But he was also the first ever Red Bull F1 driver after the energy drink giants chose the experienced race winner to lead their team upon its entry to the sport in 2005.

So DC is well-placed to assess the pros and cons of driving for each British-based outfit.

"I don’t think Lando’s going anywhere," Coulthard said, touching on the 2025 champion's important relationship with McLaren CEO Zak Brown, adding: "I think he’s part of that family. Zak has been part of his management team since way before Formula 1."

The 13-time grand prix winner didn't say a move away from McLaren was impossible however, going on to point out the one scenario in which he thought a space could become available for Verstappen in Norris' place.

"It would take a breakdown in relations for him to move," the Red Bull icon concluded.

Co-host Will Buxton then raised the rumours surrounding Norris' team-mate Piastri that persisted last season, adding: "I think there were already the rumours last year, and there’s no smoke without fire in Formula 1, that Oscar or Oscar’s team were already putting feelers out.

"There was a joke, wasn’t there, halfway through last year that Oscar had been learning Italian.

"I mean look, if Max is available and still has the hunger for F1 critically, then my god, there’s going to be a bidding war."

Whilst many pundits have stated that Lambiase's team change means Verstappen will leave the sport for good, it certainly would make for a thrilling silly season if Red Bull's star driver finally decided a change in allegiance was on the cards.

READ MORE: McLaren F1 chief 'signs pre-contract with Ferrari' ahead of Lambiase transfer

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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