Max Verstappen will keep Gianpiero Lambiase as race engineer in 2026.
Max Verstappen will continue to work with his regular race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The media reports this, despite recent rumors suggesting otherwise.
There had been a lot of speculation that Lambiase would resign from his role due to personal circumstances, but this appears not to be the case.
During the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen narrowly missed out on his fifth world title, Lambiase was visibly emotional along the pit wall.
A complete team reset?
The 45-year-old Briton had to skip two races earlier this year, namely in Austria and Belgium, when Simon Rennie took over his duties temporarily.
This fueled rumors that Lambiase might no longer travel with the team in the future and work exclusively from Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes.
However, according to the latest information, Lambiase will remain fully as Verstappen’s race engineer, including during the races.
The duo have been working together since 2016 when Verstappen made his debut with Red Bull during the Spanish Grand Prix.
That collaboration has proven to be particularly fruitful, together they achieved no fewer than 71 victories and four world titles.
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This confirmation is striking in a period in which Red Bull Racing is experiencing several important personnel changes.
There is a lot of uncertainty about Helmut Marko’s future within the team. If he leaves, it would be another major blow to the organization.
Previously, key figures such as team boss Christian Horner, technical mastermind Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley left the team.
For Verstappen, the continued presence of Lambiase is an important signal of stability.
Their radio communication is often a topic of conversation within the F1 world and is known for its direct and efficient tone.
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