The rumor mill is working overtime again following the announced departure of Gianpiero Lambiase from Red Bull. Max Verstappen’s regular race engineer still has a contract with the Austrians until 2027, but will move to current constructors’ champion McLaren in 2028. However, the question remains what role the engineer will take on with the papayas, and what the future of current team principal Andrea Stella will look like.
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The announcement of Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure to the McLaren team has set the rumor mill in motion again. Speculation is once again rife not only about Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 – the Dutchman previously told Ziggo Sport about his collaboration with Lambiase: “As soon as he stops, I stop too” – but the future of current McLaren team principal Andrea Stella is also under the microscope.
Return to Ferrari?
For instance, various media initially reported that Lambiase would be groomed at McLaren as Stella’s successor. The Italian, in turn, was said to be considering a return to Ferrari, the team where he was employed between 2000 and 2014.
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However, sources from within McLaren itself have reportedly denied to BBC Sport that the Italian team principal is leaving for his former employer. Instead, Lambiase would become part of a support structure for McLaren’s racing activities, alongside former Red Bull head strategist Will Courtenay and race director Randy Singh. This would give Stella more freedom to focus on the managerial aspects of his role. Lambiase would then become responsible for the papayas’ racing and track activities.
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