Lambiase to Leave Red Bull for McLaren in 2028, Sparking Speculation About Verstappen's Future

In a surprise move, Max Verstappen's engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, will join McLaren in 2028, leaving Red Bull after his contract expires. This development has raised questions about Verstappen's future in the sport, given their close working relationship. Red Bull and McLaren have both confirmed the news, with Lambiase set to take on the role of chief racing officer at McLaren. The highly-regarded engineer will remain in his dual role at Red Bull until his planned departure. Verstappen has previously stated that he would consider leaving F1 if Lambiase were not his race engineer, making this move potentially critical to the four-time world champion's own future. Lambiase is the only race engineer Verstappen has had since joining Red Bull in 2016. The move is seen as a significant gain for McLaren, who have also recently hired Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay from Red Bull. With Lambiase's departure, Verstappen's future in F1 is under scrutiny, especially given his recent criticism of the 2026 regulations and his contract with Red Bull until 2028.