Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has broken his silence on Red Bull Racing race engineer Gianpiero Lambias’ shock move to McLaren in 2028, revealing he sought Lambias’ approval before the decision was made.
Red Bull confirmed last week that Lambiase, their long-time head of race engineering and Verstappen’s trusted race engineerwill leave the team at the end of his current contract, which runs through the 2027 season.
Speaking at the Viaplay event in Amsterdam, Verstappen shared details of their conversation. “He told me the offer he got. I told him he’d be a fool not to accept it. We’ve already achieved everything together. Then he gets such a great offer, considering his family and the security it would give him. He asked me for some kind of permission and I told him he absolutely had to do it. He really wanted to hear it from me,” Verstappen said. Verstappen gave Lambias approval to switch to McLaren (Photo Reuters)
The impending departure of Lambias added to further speculation Verstappen’s own future in Formula 1. The Dutch rider recently expressed frustration with the sport’s evolving technical regulations, particularly the increased emphasis on battery-powered systems, which he believes have changed the racing experience.
These frustrations coincided with a difficult start to the 2026 season for Verstappen and Red Bull. The team struggled to adapt to the latest regulations, so the reigning champion missed the pace in the first races. Verstappen has scored just 12 points from the opening three races, leaving him ninth in the drivers’ standings.
Despite the uncertainty and mounting rumours, Verstappen remains under contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season. However, Lambias’ departure marks the end of one of Formula 1’s most successful driver-engineer partnerships, which played a key role in Verstappen’s dominance of the championship.
As Red Bull undergo both performance challenges and key personnel changes, the focus will remain on Verstappen and his response to one of the most experienced phases of his career.
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Published on:
17 Apr 2026 17:34 IST
