Laurent Mekies, the team principal at Red Bull, has hinted that Gianpiero Lambiase, who has been Max Verstappen’s race engineer, is on track to become the next team principal at McLaren. The rumor follows Red Bull’s March announcement that Lambiase would depart his role as head of race engineering to join McLaren as chief racing officer, a position slated to be filled no later than 2028.
At the time of the initial disclosure, McLaren clarified that the chief racing officer title already existed within its hierarchy and that its duties were being shouldered by Andrea Stella alongside his responsibilities as team principal. The statement underscored that Lambiase’s appointment was intended to augment the existing leadership framework rather than replace an empty slot.
During the Miami Grand Prix – the first race of the 2026 Formula 1 calendar after the news broke – Mekies addressed the media and told Sky Sports F1 that his current employee “is going to be a team principal” at McLaren. When pressed about the growing list of senior staff who have left Red Bull in recent years, Mekies responded without defensiveness, acknowledging that the team had indeed seen a number of key departures over the past four or five seasons. “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,” Mekies said. “I’m confident it’s an area we will succeed in.” He added that the transition would not be a linear, permanent fix, but rather a reflection of the extraordinary opportunity presented to Lambiase.
“He is going to be a team principal there. It’s not something that I can do anything else than wishing him well,” Mekies concluded.
The comments initially sparked speculation about whether they had been misinterpreted. Red Bull later confirmed to Sky Sports F1 that Mekies indeed believes Lambiase will assume the McLaren team principal role.
McLaren’s chief executive, Zak Brown, reacted with a mixture of surprise and amusement, stating, “He knows something I don’t, apparently.” Brown praised Andrea Stella, noting that he had been a “great” and “the best one in the pit lane,” and expressed confidence in Stella’s continued performance. Stella’s tenure as McLaren team principal, which began in December 2022, has been marked by a dramatic resurgence for the Woking‑based outfit. Under his guidance, the team secured back‑to‑back constructors’ championships and saw Lando Norris capture the drivers’ title last season. Brown highlighted his own role in securing top talent and building a sustainable, long‑term operation: “My job as CEO is to get the best talent, to think long term, to have the most strength on pit wall or at the factory, in design, whatever the case may be.” He continued, “Andrea has done a fantastic job, our technical team.
GP is a huge talent, so when the opportunity presented itself to strengthen our racing team, that’s exactly what we’re going to do – whether it’s a racing driver, an engineer, a strategist, whatever the case may be. So, I’m very happy he’s going to be joining us.” While the exact timing of Lambiase’s move remains uncertain, McLaren has indicated a desire to bring him on board before the 2028 deadline. Their statement reiterated that the chief racing officer role already existed and that Andrea Stella was currently handling those duties in addition to his principal responsibilities.
The hiring of Lambiase, they said, is “designed to strengthen and support the talent pool that exists at McLaren Mastercard, while also reaffirming the team’s long‑term commitment to confirming its position as a championship‑winning team.” The broader context of this personnel shuffle reflects the competitive nature of Formula 1’s engineering and leadership landscape. Teams constantly seek to poach top engineers, strategists, and managers from rivals in order to gain a technical edge. Lambiase’s reputation as a meticulous race engineer, credited with helping Verstappen dominate numerous races, makes him a valuable asset for any organization looking to tighten its race‑day operations. McLaren’s interest in promoting Lambiase to the top seat suggests a strategic shift.
Rather than relying solely on Stella’s dual role, the team appears to be preparing a more specialized structure, separating the day‑to‑day race‑team leadership from broader strategic oversight. This could allow Stella to focus more on overall team direction while Lambiase handles the intricacies of race‑day performance, pit‑stop coordination, and car set‑up decisions. For Red Bull, the departure of another senior figure underscores the challenges of retaining talent amid a highly fluid market.
Mekies’ comments about creating an environment that attracts and retains staff hint at internal initiatives aimed at improving workplace culture, professional development pathways, and perhaps financial incentives. The ability to keep key personnel will be crucial as Red Bull seeks to maintain its dominant position in the sport. Fans and analysts will be watching closely as the Miami Grand Prix unfolded, with the event serving as a backdrop for these high‑profile statements. The race itself, part of a sprint weekend that also featured a qualifying session and a sprint race, provided ample coverage on Sky Sports F1 and the NOW streaming platform, ensuring that the news reached a wide audience.
In summary, Laurent Mekies’ remarks have set the stage for a potential leadership change at McLaren, with Gianpiero Lambiase poised to step into the team principal role. While the exact timeline remains to be confirmed, both Red Bull and McLaren are signaling their commitment to building robust, forward‑looking structures that can sustain success in the ever‑evolving world of Formula 1.