United Kingdom: McLaren has made a significant long-term statement by securing the services of Gianpiero Lambiase, one of Formula 1’s most respected engineers, from Red Bull Racing starting in 2028.
Widely recognised as the race engineer of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Lambiase will take on a senior role supporting McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. While the exact title of his new position remains undisclosed, the move is understood to be aimed at strengthening McLaren’s race operations as the sport grows increasingly complex.
Strategic reinforcement at McLaren
The recruitment of Lambiase marks another high-profile addition to McLaren’s technical and operational ranks. It follows the arrivals of Rob Marshall as chief designer in 2024 and Will Courtenay, who took over as sporting director earlier this year.
Lambiase will integrate into a race-operations structure that includes Courtenay and racing director Randy Singh. His role is expected to alleviate the growing workload of Stella, who is currently balancing responsibilities as both team principal and de facto technical director.
Easing the burden on Stella
Under McLaren’s current structure, key technical leaders, including Peter Prodromou, Mark Temple, Neil Houldey and Marshall report directly to Stella on car development matters.
Lambiase’s addition is expected to shift part of the focus away from Stella on race-day execution and trackside operations, allowing him to concentrate more on broader leadership and strategic direction.
Red Bull talent drain continues
Lambiase becomes the latest senior figure to depart Red Bull amid a period of notable internal change. The team has already seen the exits of legendary designer Adrian Newey and former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley since early 2024.
These changes followed the departure of former team principal Christian Horner in mid-2025, marking a significant reshaping of the organisation’s leadership structure.
Verstappen connection remains key storyline
Lambiase has shared a long and successful partnership with Verstappen since the Dutch driver joined Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. Their close working relationship has been a cornerstone of Verstappen’s dominance in recent seasons.
Speaking recently in Japan, Verstappen hinted at uncertainty over his future in Formula 1, citing dissatisfaction with the current generation of cars. Neither McLaren nor Red Bull have officially commented on the move. However, senior sources within both teams have confirmed the development.
Despite speculation, McLaren insiders have dismissed suggestions that Lambiase’s arrival could signal a future departure of Stella, including rumours linking him to Ferrari. With this strategic hire, McLaren continues to position itself as a rising force in Formula 1, reinforcing their ambition to challenge consistently at the front of the grid in the coming years.
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