Lambiase to Leave Red Bull for McLaren in 2028
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- Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull for McLaren in 2028 as chief racing officer, ending a run as Max Verstappen's race engineer that began in 2016; the 45-year-old will continue in his dual role at Red Bull until he departs.
- McLaren expect to welcome Lambiase 'no later' than two seasons from now; team principal Andrea Stella is staying in his long-term role and was part of the discussions to sign him, with no truth to rumours of a Ferrari return.
- Max Verstappen previously said he would stop racing in Formula 1 when Lambiase leaves, and his Red Bull contract — which runs through end of 2028 — contains performance clauses that could allow an earlier exit given Red Bull's early-season struggles.
- Red Bull have lost a string of senior figures since their 2023 constructors' title, when they won 21 of 22 races: Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay to McLaren, Adrian Newey to Aston Martin, Jonathan Wheatley to Audi, plus 'sudden exits' for Christian Horner and Helmut Marko last year.
- McLaren have already absorbed two former Red Bull figures in Rob Marshall (joined 2024, credited with two constructors' titles and Lando Norris's 2025 drivers' championship) and sporting director Will Courtenay, with Lambiase set to be the third.
- Verstappen has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations, is already racing GT3 cars, and has entered the Nurburgring 24 Hours for May.
Why it matters: Lambiase's move is the clearest public signal yet that Verstappen's F1 career is winding down, since the four-time champion has publicly tied his retirement to his race engineer — and Red Bull are now losing a third senior figure to McLaren in two years, deepening the brain drain from a team that won 21 of 22 races in 2023.
