Max Verstappen has backed his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase's decision to join McLaren as chief racing officer in 2028, following last week's announcement. Lambiase consulted Verstappen beforehand, who called it an 'incredible opportunity.' Ex-F1 driver David Coulthard foresees challenges for Red Bull in managing Lambiase until his contract ends.
Last week, McLaren announced the signing of Gianpiero Lambiase—known as 'GP' and Verstappen's race engineer since 2016—from Red Bull Racing, where he will depart as head of racing at the end of his contract in 2028. Speaking at a Viaplay event in Amsterdam, Verstappen revealed they had discussed the move: “When he told me what the opportunity was, I said: you’d be stupid not to take it. It’s an incredible opportunity for him, not just in terms of the role but also for his future. You have to think about your family and long-term security as well.” He added: “100%, you should just go for it.” Their partnership has yielded multiple world titles, but Verstappen emphasized their enduring bond: “We’ll be friends for life. Everyone has their own goals and ambitions. You can’t hold someone back.” Verstappen's contract with Red Bull also runs to 2028, potentially leaving him without his key ally. On the Up To Speed podcast, David Coulthard predicted Red Bull would sideline Lambiase—possibly via gardening leave—to safeguard 2027+ developments: “There’ll be a point where they’re going to want to say, ‘Look, you can't really be working on this car,’” citing his own 1995 Williams-to-McLaren switch.
