Lando Norris is happy with the acquisition of Gianpiero Lambiase at McLaren. Although the engineer will only start working for the papaya team after 2027, he expects ‘GP’ will certainly help his team achieve the goal of becoming ‘the very best in every area’. “He has already achieved an incredible amount with Max,” Norris refers to Max Verstappen’s four world titles.
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Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase will swap Red Bull for McLaren after 2027. Max Verstappen’s permanent race engineer thus follows in the footsteps of former Red Bull engineers Will Courtenay and Rob Marshall, who previously moved to the British racing stable. In his new role, Lambiase will assist team boss Andrea Stella from 2028, meaning he will likely also work with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Norris is already looking forward to ‘GP’s’ arrival, he tells Sky Sports. “I mean, we already have an incredibly strong team, and in a way, you wonder: what other role do you want to fill?” said the world champion. “But we want the very best in every area. As a team, we believe there is certainly another area he can address and a responsibility he can improve within our team.”
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‘Cool acquisition’
The McLaren driver emphasizes the importance of ‘good cooperation’ within the racing team, and is convinced that Lambiase will also be a good team player. “It’s still a long way off. It won’t happen for a few years, but he’s clearly a great guy. He’s someone who has achieved an incredible amount with Max,” Norris points to Verstappen’s four world titles. Lambiase was then the constant presence on the pit wall for the Dutchman. “Everyone knows ‘GP’ and everyone hears him on the radio occasionally. So he’s a cool acquisition, and I think it’s a great opportunity for us to learn from someone else.”
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