Formula 1 has seen its share of seismic departures from Red Bull in recent years, but the latest one hits closer to home than most. According to multiple credible reports published on 9 April 2026, Gianpiero Lambiase — the race engineer who has been inseparable from Max Verstappen’s success — is set to leave Red Bull Racing for McLaren at the end of the 2027 season.
Who Is Gianpiero Lambiase?
Lambiase, known in the paddock simply as “GP,” has been one of Formula 1’s most influential figures throughout Verstappen’s championship era. He was promoted to work alongside Verstappen when the Dutchman moved up from Toro Rosso to the senior Red Bull squad in 2016, and the two have been a constant pairing ever since. Their radio exchanges — sometimes terse, often funny, always professional — have become part of the soundtrack of the sport. Four Constructors’ championships and four Drivers’ titles with Verstappen later, GP’s contribution to Red Bull’s dominance cannot be overstated.
The McLaren Deal
Reports from De Telegraaf and Autosport, both with strong Formula 1 contacts, indicate that Lambiase has signed a multi-year contract with McLaren on what sources describe as an “astronomical” offer — substantially more than his current salary at Red Bull. McLaren are said to have fought off interest from both Aston Martin and Williams to secure his signature. He is expected to start at McLaren ahead of the 2028 season, meaning he will see out the 2026 and 2027 campaigns at Red Bull before making the move.
McLaren’s interest is likely connected to the ongoing speculation around team principal Andrea Stella, who has been linked with a potential return to Ferrari. If Stella were to depart, Lambiase’s operational experience and strategic mind would make him a significant asset at the top level of McLaren’s racing structure. His arrival would continue a pattern of high-profile Red Bull personnel heading to Woking, following the earlier signings of designer Rob Marshall and sporting director Will Courtenay.
What Does This Mean for Verstappen?
The timing adds a further complication to what is already a difficult period for Verstappen. Red Bull’s car has been less dominant in 2026, and the Dutchman’s relationship with the team has been under scrutiny since the departures of key figures like Adrian Newey, Christian Horner, and Helmut Marko in recent seasons. Losing Lambiase — arguably the person who understands his working style better than anyone else at the team — will be a significant blow, even if it doesn’t take effect until 2028.
Verstappen’s future beyond his current Red Bull contract remains one of the most-discussed storylines in the sport. Whether this news accelerates any conversations with other teams remains to be seen, but it is hard to imagine it has no effect at all.
Earlier Denials and How We Got Here
It is worth noting that as recently as the start of 2026, both Red Bull and Lambiase himself had dismissed rumours of his departure. Red Bull confirmed he would continue as head of racing for the 2026 season, and the speculation that had built up after the Abu Dhabi season finale in 2025 appeared to have died down. The news that he has now signed with McLaren will therefore come as a genuine shock to many inside and outside the sport.
Neither Red Bull nor McLaren have officially confirmed the reports at the time of writing. But given the sources involved and the level of detail reported, the F1 community is treating this as a matter of when, not if.
The Bigger Picture for Red Bull
Red Bull built a generational dynasty on the foundations of exceptional people working in exceptional harmony. That harmony has been unravelling piece by piece. The loss of Newey removed their most creative technical mind. The exits of Horner and Marko broke the leadership continuity. And now the potential departure of Lambiase threatens to sever one of the last remaining personal links between the team’s golden era and its present. They remain a formidable operation, but the task of rebuilding that culture has just become significantly harder.