The spotlight will shift back to Formula 1 as the series heads to Miami, but beyond the usual excitement about the race itself, all eyes will be on Max Verstappen after his candid admission last month that he is weighing his future in the sport. Verstappen has not shied away from criticizing the new 2026 regulations, arguing that they have forced a different style of driving and have diluted the on‑track action. At the same time, Red Bull have struggled to stay at the very front of the grid, a situation that only adds fuel to the Dutchman's frustration. During the five‑week hiatus between the Japanese Grand Prix and the Miami event, the governing body and the teams have been busy tweaking the power‑unit rules in an attempt to address the concerns raised by several drivers, Verstappen included.
The adjustments are intended to restore a more predictable level of flat‑out performance and to curb the yo‑yo effect that many drivers say is now dictated by the amount of energy that can be deployed rather than pure driver skill. Adding another layer of intrigue, Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase made a surprise announcement earlier this month that he will depart Red Bull and join McLaren no later than 2028. Although Verstappen would have been aware of the plan before it was made public, the news creates an extra variable that will inevitably be probed during Miami’s media day on Thursday.
Reporters will likely press the champion on both his own contract situation and the impact of Lambiase’s impending exit on his performance. Verstappen has previously warned that, after winning his first World Championship in 2021, he would consider leaving Formula 1 if Lambiase were no longer his engineer.
While circumstances can evolve, the bond between driver and engineer has been described as a "marriage‑like" partnership that would be hard to replicate elsewhere. Red Bull have confirmed that Lambiase will remain with the team until the end of 2027, but McLaren are reportedly eager to bring the 45‑year‑old engineer on board earlier.
Verstappen’s own contract runs out after the 2028 season, yet Sky Sports News reports that performance‑related clauses could allow an earlier departure if the team fails to meet his expectations. Team principal Laurent Mekies offered a glimpse into the internal dialogue, saying, "We speak pretty much daily with Max. He was fully aware of the full extent of the discussions we were having with GP. A, because of his own relationship with GP and B, because we are an open book." Mekies added that Verstappen is not "outside of the project" but firmly embedded within it, spending extensive time in the simulator and understanding the long‑term development plan.
"We have a massive reservoir of talent in the team, and we have every opportunity to make that a chance to go to an even stronger level," he said. Lambiase is the latest high‑profile Red Bull figure to depart the Milton Keynes base in recent years, joining a list that includes legendary designer Adrian Newey, long‑time team principal Christian Horner, advisor Helmut Marko, McLaren technical director Rob Marshall, and former head of strategy Will Courtenay, who has also moved to McLaren as sporting director.
The departure of such a key technical mind raises the question of how Verstappen will react to another significant member of his support crew leaving, especially one he has relied on for strategic input and car set‑up. For Verstappen, the regulatory environment remains the decisive factor when contemplating his future. He has repeatedly emphasized that the quality of the racing product matters more than personal grievances.
After retiring from the second round of the season in China, he remarked, "I would say the same if I would be winning races, because I care about the racing product. It's not about being upset about where I am, because I'm actually fighting even more now, of course.
So you get to understand what you have to do and what it is about even more. For me, it's really a joke." This comment underscores his belief that a competitive car and engaging races are essential to his continued commitment. Drivers, including Verstappen, have voiced frustration that the current regulations limit how far they can push in qualifying and that the race format has become overly dependent on energy deployment strategies, leading to a "yo‑yo" style of competition. In response, the FIA and the teams have held a series of meetings this month, resulting in agreed‑upon changes to the power‑unit rules aimed at delivering more consistent, full‑throttle driving throughout a race weekend.
Mekies praised Verstappen’s dedication, stating, "The Max we see is a fully committed Max. He wants a fast car and he's helping the team get a fast car. He's bringing all his energy to that. He's passionate about the sport.
As you said, he raised his voice when he felt things needed to be done. We have a step forward for the regs coming for Miami. He's embracing that.
Will it be enough? We have time to see together if it's going to be enough or not." Miami will not only host a 57‑lap Grand Prix on Sunday but also a 19‑lap Sprint on Saturday, offering a quick‑fire test of whether the new regulations produce the kind of wheel‑to‑wheel racing that characterized the opening three rounds of the season.
Red Bull are expected to bring substantial upgrades to the circuit, hoping to close the performance gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. In the previous race in Japan, Verstappen finished 32 seconds behind race‑winner Kimi Antonelli, a gap that was partially inflated by a mid‑race safety car.
Without the safety‑car interruption, the margin between the leading Mercedes and Red Bull would likely have exceeded a minute under green‑flag conditions. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle noted, "Max has made it quite clear he wants to see how the car goes. The power unit has been pretty impressive, so the car itself has been struggling a bit. Max will want to see through the mid‑season that they are on top of these regulations, they're on top of the car." Red Bull’s in‑house power unit, built in partnership with Ford, has proven competitive, yet the team’s aerodynamic package and chassis remain areas of concern.
Verstappen debuted new side‑pods, a revised floor and an updated engine cover at the Japanese Grand Prix, but was out‑qualified by teammate Isack Hadjar, suggesting the upgrades did not deliver the expected performance gains. Since mid‑2024, McLaren have generally out‑developed Red Bull, but the latter found a late‑season breakthrough that allowed Verstappen to narrowly miss the drivers’ title to Lando Norris. This season, the onus is on Red Bull to replicate that upward trajectory; failure to do so could deepen Verstappen’s frustration and accelerate any thoughts of a move.
Mekies acknowledged the challenge, saying, "We are conscious that the priority is that we give him a car he can push with. And this has not much to do with the regs. We knew we gave him and Isack a very difficult car in the first three races. And we need to give him a car he can consistently push with.
Then after, it doesn't mean that it will be fast enough for positions, but it means he can start to bring his Max effect and we can start to build development onto that car. I have every confidence that things may not be fixed for Miami, but that the team is going to get to the bottom of what is limiting us in the same way they have done last year, and that you will see more and more smile on Max's face." As the Miami Grand Prix approaches, the race will serve as a litmus test for both the newly adjusted regulations and Red Bull’s ability to deliver a car that satisfies Verstappen’s high standards. The outcome could provide early clues about whether the Dutch champion will remain with the team beyond 2028 or begin to explore other opportunities.
The weekend promises high‑speed action, strategic intrigue, and perhaps the first concrete signs of how Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 will unfold.