Red Bull warned to get Gianpiero Lambiase replacement right

Christian Horner and Gianpiero Lambiase — Photo: © IMAGO

Red Bull

Red Bull warned to get Lambiase replacement right

Gianpiero Lambiase has been Max Verstappen's race engineer since 2016

Originally written by Sam Cook. This version is a translation.

Saturday 11 April 2026 17:01

Red Bull F1 team have been warned that they need to get Gianpiero Lambiase's replacement right.

Lambiase will be leaving the Milton Keynes-based outfit in 2028, and instead join up with McLaren to be their chief racing officer, working closely alongside team principal Andrea Stella.

It will mean that the Brit will no longer be four-time world champion Max Verstappen's race engineer.

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Verstappen has worked with Lambiase since he started at Red Bull back in 2016, and has built up a close relationship with his race engineer, who is also the head of racing at Red Bull.

Now, Verstappen's father Jos has revealed that they already knew about Lambiase's departure, and that he expects Red Bull to get it right when looking for a replacement for Lambiase.

"We still have a year and a half to two years to work with him. It is a huge opportunity for him. We have also said that we understand and that he has to do it. As for the rest, it is up to Red Bull to replace him."

What F1 roles has Lambiase held?

Lambiase joined Red Bull back in 2015, and was the race engineer for former Red Bull star Daniil Kvyat. His career in F1 started long before that, however.

While he is best known for his work at Red Bull, Lambiase also worked for the Silverstone-based outfit for 11 years, who in that time were known as Jordan, Midland, Spyker and Force India.

His first gig as a race engineer came in 2010 at Force India with Vitantonio Liuzzi, before working at the same team with Paul di Resta and Sergio Perez.

Lambiase's current position at Red Bull is the most senior that he has held in his F1 career to date, being promoted to head of racing back in 2024 while still performing his duties as Verstappen's race engineer.

His new McLaren position - which he will start in 2028 - will be even more senior than that, working almost as a deputy to team principal Stella.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Jos Verstappen Gianpiero Lambiase