Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's long-time race engineer, is at the center of a tug-of-war between Red Bull and McLaren over his future role. McLaren announced Lambiase will join as chief racing officer no later than 2028, but Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies insists the move will see Lambiase become McLaren's team principal. The conflicting statements have sparked debate about the succession plan at Woking.
Lambiase's exit from Red Bull, confirmed last month, marks another high-profile departure from the reigning champions. Mekies, speaking at the Miami Grand Prix, did not mince words: "GP had an extraordinary opportunity. 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 genuinely believes Lambiase will take the top job at McLaren.
McLaren, however, has been emphatic that Lambiase will assume the newly-defined role of chief racing officer—a position currently handled by team principal Andrea Stella alongside his duties. CEO Zak Brown dismissed Mekies's claim with characteristic bluntness: "He knows something I don't, apparently. I've got one team principal, and I've got a great one. I got the best one in the pit lane in Andrea Stella."
The discrepancy raises inevitable questions about Stella's future. The 55-year-old Italian, who joined McLaren in 2015 and became team principal in 2023, is on a long-term contract and has previously laughed off rumors linking him to Ferrari. But if Mekies is correct, McLaren must have a plan for Stella to either shift roles or exit—something Brown flatly denies.
For Red Bull, losing Lambiase is both a blow and an opportunity. The engineer's near-telepathic rapport with Verstappen has been a cornerstone of the Dutchman's four world titles. Verstappen acknowledged the challenge: "The chemistry works really well. That's very rare in racing. I'll have to try and find that again." Mekies confirmed the team has "a couple of years" to groom a replacement, emphasizing the priority on retaining top talent.
The timeline remains fluid. Red Bull insists Lambiase will honor his contract through end of 2027; McLaren is in continued talks to secure his early release. The 2028 deadline gives both sides room to maneuver, but the public disagreement over his title suggests deeper strategic friction. Brown and Mekies were seen chatting in the Red Bull hospitality in Miami, with Mekies confirming they discussed the matter: "None of us wanted a ping-pong. We had a good chat and moved on."
Lambiase's move is part of a broader talent drain from Red Bull, which has lost key figures like Adrian Newey and Rob Marshall in recent years. Mekies acknowledged the trend but struck a defiant tone: "We take it very seriously. We feel we have the best talent already, department by department." For McLaren, landing Lambiase signals ambition to solidify their resurgence under Stella's leadership—provided the leadership structure remains stable.
As the Canadian Grand Prix approaches, the focus will return to on-track action. But the Lambiase saga underscores how off-track maneuvering can shape F1's competitive landscape. Whether he ends up as chief racing officer or team principal, his arrival at McLaren promises to be a pivotal moment for the Woking squad.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.