The Formula 1 world champion, Max Verstappen, has expressed his full support for the decision of his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to move to McLaren for the year 2028. Lambiase and Verstappen have shared a close collaboration at Red Bull Racing, and the driver stated that Lambiase’s decision to leave the team was discussed with him beforehand.
A few days ago, McLaren announced the hiring of Lambiase as the racing chief, a position in which he will work closely with the team director, Andrea Stella, during competition weekends. Lambiase could make the move before his contract with Red Bull expires, which is scheduled to end in late 2028.
Whether Verstappen remains at Red Bull until the end of his contract or not, the loss of Lambiase could affect his future in the competition. Recently, Verstappen has expressed some frustration with the new technical regulations of F1 for 2026, but he has reiterated his support for Lambiase’s promotion. ‘We talked about this, and when he told me what the opportunity was, I said: it would be silly if you don’t take it,’ Verstappen commented at a Viaplay event in Amsterdam.
Verstappen agreed to Lambiase’s decision before he made his career change official. ‘He wanted to know my opinion before making the decision,’ he added. The Dutch driver emphasized that his relationship with Lambiase would not be affected by the change, stressing that they have achieved many successes together and that their friendship would endure despite the professional separation.
‘We have achieved many things together. We have won a lot. That won’t change. We are both young, and nobody knows what can happen in the future. Maybe we will work together again,’ Verstappen concluded, highlighting the importance of following one’s own goals and ambitions in the world of motorsport.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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