Max Verstappen ally to leave Red Bull in fresh blow to four-time F1 champion

• Max Verstappen's esteemed F1 race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will leave Red Bull to join McLaren as Chief Racing Officer in 2028.
• Lambiase, who has worked with Verstappen since 2016, has a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2027.
• This move casts significant doubt on Verstappen's future with Red Bull, as Lambiase is considered one of his key allies in the sport.
• Four-time champion Verstappen has recently voiced dissatisfaction with F1's new cars and regulations, describing the 2026 cars as “anti-racing” and has previously mooted retiring from the sport.
• Lambiase is the latest in a series of high-profile departures from Red Bull, following figures like Rob Marshall, Will Courtenay, and Adrian Newey.

IN FULL

Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren confirmed – in huge blow for Red Bull and Max Verstappen