Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull Racing when his current contract expires in 2028 to join McLaren as Chief Racing Officer, marking the end of a long-standing partnership with Max Verstappen that began when the Dutch driver was promoted from Toro Rosso in 2016.
The announcement confirms what has been widely reported in recent weeks: Lambiase, known throughout the paddock as “GP,” will transition from his dual role as Head of Racing and race engineer for Verstappen at Red Bull to a senior executive position at McLaren’s Woking-based facility.
Lambiase’s Formula 1 career began in 2005 as a data engineer for the Jordan team before stints with Force India and a move to Red Bull in 2015. Initially working with Daniil Kvyat, his partnership with Verstappen started in 2016 and has endured through multiple world championships, race wins, and the inevitable challenges that come with competing at the sport’s highest level.
Over the course of their collaboration, Verstappen and Lambiase have secured four consecutive World Drivers’ Championships from 2021 to 2024, amassing 71 Grand Prix victories together. The engineer has been a constant presence on the pit wall, communicating with Verstappen during races and playing a key role in strategy decisions that have helped define one of the most successful driver-engineer pairings in modern F1 history.
Despite his impending departure, Red Bull has emphasized that Lambiase will remain fully committed to his duties until the end of his contract. A team statement released earlier this month confirmed: “Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave the team in 2028, when his current contract expires. ‘GP’ is a valued member of the team, which he joined in 2015. Until his planned departure, ‘GP’ continues in his roles as Head of Racing and as Race Engineer to Max Verstappen. The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together.”
The move to McLaren represents a significant shift in the technical leadership landscape of Formula 1. As Chief Racing Officer, Lambiase will oversee the sporting operations of the McLaren F1 team, reporting directly to the team’s executive leadership. This role encompasses race strategy, sporting regulations compliance, and liaison with the FIA—a broader responsibility than his current position focused primarily on race engineering and team racing operations.
McLaren has undergone a resurgence in recent seasons, closing the gap to Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship and positioning itself as a genuine title contender. The addition of Lambiase, with his extensive experience working alongside a four-time world champion, is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the team’s competitive edge as it aims to challenge for both drivers’ and constructors’ titles in the coming years.
For Verstappen, the news means preparing for a future without his long-time engineer by his side. While the Dutch driver remains under contract with Red Bull beyond 2028, the eventual separation from Lambiase will mark the end of a partnership that has shaped much of his F1 career to date. Verstappen has not publicly commented on the development, though his father Jos Verstappen has previously addressed media speculation surrounding Lambiase’s potential move.
The 2028 timeline provides both parties with ample opportunity to plan for the transition. Red Bull will have time to identify and prepare a successor for Lambiase’s dual roles, while McLaren can integrate him into their leadership structure well before he assumes the Chief Racing Officer position. Until then, Lambiase will continue to work trackside with Verstappen, contributing to Red Bull’s efforts to maintain its competitive advantage in the final years of their current collaboration.
As the 2026 Formula 1 season progresses, the Verstappen-Lambiase partnership will remain a focal point for fans and analysts alike, particularly as the regulatory changes set for 2026 come into effect. Those rules, which include significant changes to aerodynamics and the introduction of sustainable fuels, will present new technical challenges that the duo will navigate together before their eventual separation.
Looking ahead, the next confirmed checkpoint in this developing story will be the official confirmation of Lambiase’s transition timeline from McLaren, expected closer to his 2028 departure from Red Bull. For now, the focus remains on the present: a highly successful engineer preparing to embark on a new chapter while still fully committed to delivering results with the driver who has defined much of his F1 legacy.
What does this imply for the future of Red Bull Racing’s technical structure? How might Lambiase’s experience influence McLaren’s approach to race strategy and sporting operations? These questions will continue to generate discussion as the 2028 deadline approaches, but for the immediate future, the Verstappen-Lambiase partnership remains intact—focused on the races ahead rather than the eventual farewell.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of this story and all developments in the Formula 1 paddock as the season unfolds.
