Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave Red Bull and take up a role at McLaren, where he will work in a supporting capacity under team principal Andrea Stella.

Although neither team has officially commented, multiple reports confirmed the move, which was first revealed in Dutch media and later reported by major outlets including Reuters, the BBC, and Sky Sports. Lambiase is expected to begin his new role in 2028, marking the next chapter in a partnership with Verstappen that began in 2016 and has contributed to four world championship titles.

The 45-year-old has also previously been linked with Aston Martin, a team led by former Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey. However, McLaren—fresh off winning both championships last season with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—appears to have secured his services.

Lambiase is anticipated to take on the position of head of race engineering at McLaren after completing a period of gardening leave. Meanwhile, Stella is expected to remain in charge as team principal, continuing under a long-term contract.

Stella, a former Ferrari engineer who worked during the era of Michael Schumacher, has no plans to return to Ferrari despite speculation surrounding his future.

Max Verstappen’s long-standing partnership with Gianpiero Lambiase—often heard through their direct and candid exchanges over team radio—has become one of Formula 1’s most recognisable driver-engineer relationships. It is frequently compared to the pairing of Lewis Hamilton and his former Mercedes race engineer Peter Bonnington during Hamilton’s title-winning years.

Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who was dismissed in July, once described the dynamic as resembling “an old married couple arguing about what to watch on television,” highlighting the intensity and familiarity between driver and engineer, and noting how closely their roles intertwine.

Lambiase’s departure is likely to be felt by Verstappen, especially amid a broader period of change within Red Bull and a recent dip in on-track dominance. At the same time, Verstappen has increasingly expressed uncertainty about his long-term future in the sport. Speaking in Japan last month, he suggested he is considering multiple aspects of life within the paddock, particularly in light of Formula 1’s evolving regulations and hybrid power unit demands, which require careful energy management and less-than-full-throttle driving at times.

Back in 2021, when the duo secured their first championship together, Verstappen even indicated he would not continue without Lambiase, underlining the strength of their professional bond. He acknowledged their sometimes blunt communication style, explaining that mutual honesty is essential to their working relationship.

McLaren, meanwhile, has been strengthening its technical leadership with several former Red Bull personnel already in key positions, including Rob Marshall as chief designer and Will Courtenay as sporting director.