Laurent Mekies, the team principal at Red Bull, has hinted that Gianpiero Lambiase – the current race engineer for Max Verstappen – is slated to take on the role of team principal at McLaren. The speculation follows an announcement made by Red Bull in March, which confirmed that Lambiase would be leaving his position as head of race engineering and Verstappen’s personal engineer to join the British outfit. McLaren initially described his new post as "chief racing officer" and indicated that the appointment would be finalized no later than 2028. At the time of the announcement, McLaren clarified that the chief racing officer title already existed within their hierarchy and that its responsibilities were being shouldered by Andrea Stella alongside his duties as team principal.
The statement suggested that Lambiase’s arrival would augment the existing structure rather than replace an empty slot. During the Miami Grand Prix – the first race of the 2026 season after the news broke – Mekies addressed the topic with Sky Sports F1. He said that his employee "is going to be a team principal" at McLaren, reinforcing the earlier speculation. When asked whether Lambiase’s departure was part of a broader trend of key personnel leaving Red Bull, Mekies responded candidly: "We don’t want to be defensive about it.
We have lost quite a few key people in the last four, five years, it is very true. We take it very seriously and everything we do is to try to make sure that we have the best environment to attract, to develop and to retain our people. I’m confident it’s an area we will succeed in." He added, "Is it going to be a linear way to it with nobody leaving anymore?
No. GP (Lambiase) had an extraordinary opportunity.
You know, he is going to be a team principal there. It’s not something that I can do anything else than wishing him well." Red Bull later confirmed to Sky Sports F1 that Mekies truly believes Lambiase will step into the McLaren team principal role, dispelling any notion that his comments were misinterpreted. McLaren’s chief executive, Zak Brown, reacted to the remarks by saying, "He knows something I don’t, apparently." Brown went on to praise Andrea Stella, noting that he has been an "excellent" team principal since his appointment in December 2022 and that the Woking‑based team has enjoyed a dramatic resurgence, securing back‑to‑back constructors' championships and a drivers' title for Lando Norris in the previous season.
Brown emphasized his own responsibility as CEO: "My job is to attract the best talent, think long term, and ensure we have the strongest people on the pit wall and in the factory, whether in design or any other area. Andrea has done a fantastic job, our technical team is superb, and GP is a huge talent. When the opportunity arose to strengthen our racing team, we jumped at it – whether that’s a driver, an engineer, a strategist, or any other role. So, I’m very happy he’s going to be joining us." The exact timing of Lambiase’s move remains uncertain.
While McLaren indicated a desire to have him on board before 2028, no definitive date has been set. Their statement reiterated that the chief racing officer role already exists and is currently managed by Stella in addition to his principal duties. They described Lambiase’s hiring as "the latest addition designed to strengthen and support the talent pool at McLaren Mastercard, reaffirming the team’s long‑term commitment to remaining a championship‑winning outfit." The broader context of personnel changes at Red Bull is worth noting.
Over the past five years, the Austrian team has seen several senior figures depart, prompting internal reviews of its talent retention strategies. Mekies’ comments suggest a proactive approach, aiming to create an environment that both nurtures existing staff and attracts new expertise. For fans following the developments, the Miami weekend schedule includes a sprint race on Saturday, followed by the main Grand Prix on Sunday. Sky Sports F1 will broadcast the events live, with additional analysis and commentary available through their streaming platform NOW.
The weekend’s programming also features pre‑race build‑ups, qualifying sessions, and post‑race reaction shows, ensuring comprehensive coverage for viewers. In summary, while official confirmation of Lambiase’s appointment as McLaren team principal is still pending, the statements from both Red Bull and McLaren, coupled with Zak Brown’s remarks, strongly indicate that the Italian engineer is on a fast track to a senior leadership role within the British team. The move reflects McLaren’s ongoing strategy to bolster its technical leadership and maintain its competitive edge in Formula One, while Red Bull continues to grapple with retaining its top talent amid a competitive industry landscape.