As the spotlight shifts back to Formula 1’s return to the streets of Miami, all eyes will also be on Max Verstappen, who a month ago hinted that he is weighing his future in the sport. Verstappen has been outspoken about his displeasure with the new 2026 regulations, which have altered the character of driving and the overall spectacle of racing. At the same time, Red Bull have struggled to dominate the front of the grid as they once did. During the five‑week hiatus between the Japanese Grand Prix and the upcoming Miami event, the governing body has tweaked the power‑unit rules in an effort to address several concerns raised by drivers, Verstappen included.
In parallel, a surprising development emerged this month: Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced that he will depart Red Bull and join McLaren no later than 2028. While Verstappen was likely aware of the impending move before the public disclosure, the news adds another layer of complexity to his own contractual deliberations.
The Dutch champion will undoubtedly be grilled about his plans during Miami’s media day on Thursday, and the performance of the Red Bull car over the weekend could serve as a tangible barometer of his satisfaction. Verstappen has previously warned that, after clinching his first world title in 2021, he would consider leaving the sport if Lambiase were not his engineer.
Though circumstances can evolve, the close‑knit partnership between driver and engineer is not easy to replicate elsewhere. Red Bull have confirmed that Lambiase will remain with the team until the end of 2027, but McLaren are eager to secure the 45‑year‑old sooner. Verstappen’s own contract runs through the end of the 2028 season, yet Sky Sports reports that performance‑related clauses could enable an earlier exit should the situation warrant it. Team principal Laurent Mekies explained the club’s approach: "We talk to Max almost daily.
He was fully briefed on the discussions we were having with Gianpiero. Partly because of his relationship with him and partly because we operate with total transparency. Max is not an outsider to the project; he is fully embedded. He was in the simulator yesterday and the day before.
He understands that we have been on a long development cycle together and that we have a deep talent pool to push the car to an even higher level." Lambiase joins a growing list of senior Red Bull figures who have recently left the Milton Keynes operation, including legendary designer Adrian Newey, long‑time team principal Christian Horner, advisor Helmut Marko, former technical director Rob Marshall (now at McLaren), and ex‑head of strategy Will Courtenay, who also moved to McLaren as sporting director. For Verstappen, the departure of yet another key collaborator—perhaps the most personally significant—raises questions about his comfort and confidence within the team.
According to Verstappen, the regulatory environment is the primary determinant of his future decisions, and the Miami weekend should provide clear signals as to whether Formula 1 has addressed his concerns sufficiently. "I would say the same if I were winning races, because I care about the racing product.
It’s not about being upset with my position; I’m actually fighting harder now," he said after retiring from the second race of the season in China. "You start to understand what you have to do and what it’s really about. For me, it’s a bit of a joke." Many drivers, Verstappen included, have expressed frustration that the new rules limit how far they can push in qualifying and have resulted in a "yo‑yo" style of racing heavily influenced by deployment levels. In response, the FIA and the teams have met repeatedly this month and agreed to adjust certain aspects of the power‑unit regulations to promote "more consistent flat‑out driving." Mekies added: "The Max we see is a fully committed Max.
He wants a fast car and he’s helping the team get one. He’s pouring all his energy into it, he’s passionate about the sport, and he isn’t shy about raising his voice when he feels change is needed.
We have a step‑forward in the regulations coming for Miami, and he’s embracing that. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, but we have time to find out together." Miami will host not only a 57‑lap Grand Prix on Sunday but also a 19‑lap Sprint on Saturday, offering a quick‑fire glimpse of whether the race dynamics that characterized the opening three rounds are returning.
Red Bull are expected to bring a suite of major upgrades to the circuit as they attempt to close the performance gap to Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. In the previous race, Verstappen finished 32 seconds behind winner Kimi Antonelli, although a mid‑race safety‑car period meant the gap between the leading Mercedes and Red Bull would likely have been over a minute under uninterrupted green‑flag conditions. Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle noted, "Max has made it clear he wants to see how the car evolves.
The power unit is impressive, but the chassis has been a bit of a struggle." Despite building their own power unit for the first time, the Red Bull‑Ford engine has been competitive, yet aerodynamic and chassis deficiencies continue to hold the team back. Verstappen trialled new side‑pods, a revised floor and an updated engine cover in Japan, but was out‑qualified by teammate Isack Hadjar, suggesting the upgrades did not deliver the expected gains. Since mid‑2024, Red Bull have generally been out‑developed by McLaren, but a late‑season breakthrough last year allowed Verstappen to narrowly miss out on the drivers’ championship to Lando Norris.
The team now needs to demonstrate that they can replicate that upward trajectory this season, or Verstappen’s frustration could intensify. Mekies summed up the challenge: "Our priority is to give Max a car he can push hard with.
That has little to do with the regulations. We know the first three races gave him and Isack a very difficult car, and we need to provide a machine he can consistently exploit. It may not immediately translate into podiums, but it will allow him to unleash his ‘Max effect’ and give us a platform to develop further.
I’m confident we may not have everything fixed for Miami, but the team will get to the root of the limitations as they did last year, and you’ll see more and more smiles on Max’s face." The Miami Grand Prix, the second Sprint weekend of the season, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 this Friday, with streaming available via NOW. The weekend will not only test the technical upgrades Red Bull have introduced but also provide a crucial glimpse into Verstappen’s mindset as he navigates contract talks, engineering changes and the evolving regulatory landscape that could shape the remainder of his Formula 1 career.