Max Verstappen’s long‑time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will leave Red Bull to become McLaren’s chief racing officer by 2028. The move, confirmed after the Japanese Grand Prix, adds pressure to a driver already hinting at an exit after 2026.

Red Bull’s dominance eroded after Christian Horner’s July sacking, sparking a cascade of exits: Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall, Helmut Marko, and chief mechanic Matt Caller. With Lambiase gone, Verstappen’s core crew is thin, and the team’s ability to compete under new leadership from Laurent Mekies is under scrutiny.

McLaren’s takeover of Lambiase, alongside former Red Bull designer Rob Marshall and strategist Will Courtenay, showcases a strategic swoop that could lure Verstappen if he chooses to stay in F1. Zak Brown and Andrea Stella’s public praise of talent acquisition underscores McLaren’s intent to become a viable rival to the reigning champions.

With Verstappen’s future uncertain and Red Bull’s engineering bench thinning, the 2027 season may see a reshuffle at the top. The departure of a key engineer like Lambiase leaves Red Bull scrambling to rebuild its core, while McLaren positions itself as a potential destination for a driver who has dominated the sport for a decade.