Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer at Red Bull, has agreed to join McLaren starting in 2028. Known as ‘GP’ within the team, Lambiase plans to depart at the end of the 2027 season once his current contract expires.

Lambiase’s Anticipated Move

Lambiase first joined the Red Bull family with Toro Rosso in 2016. Sources indicate his transition to the reigning World Constructors’ Champions stems from team principal Andrea Stella’s potential departure to Ferrari. Lambiase recently turned down an offer to become team principal at Aston Martin.

Although Lambiase once remarked he could not envision working as race engineer for anyone other than Verstappen, a leadership role presents a new opportunity. Reports confirm he has accepted a substantial financial package from McLaren, including a significant salary increase.

At McLaren, Lambiase will reunite with chief designer Rob Marshall and chief strategist Will Courtenay, both former Red Bull staff who moved to the team in recent years.

Challenges at Red Bull

This development adds to mounting pressures at Red Bull, where technical director Pierre Wache faces scrutiny. Several key personnel have exited recently, including team principal Christian Horner, who left in summer 2025 after two decades.

Director of partnerships Julia George and group marketing director Simon Smith-Wright departed ahead of the 2026 season. Earlier, group chief marketing and commercial officer Oliver Hughes and group communications director Paul Smith also moved on following Horner’s exit. Long-serving engineer Guillaume Dezoteux, with nearly 18 years at Red Bull, joined Ferrari.

Verstappen’s Growing Concerns

The news delivers a major setback for Verstappen, who has relied on Lambiase’s guidance over the radio since his 2016 promotion. The Dutch driver shows increasing dissatisfaction this season, particularly after a lackluster Japanese Grand Prix result, where he hinted at reconsidering his Formula 1 future.

Verstappen has criticized the new regulations, comparing the cars to ‘Mario Kart,’ and expressed interest in exploring other ventures.