Red Bull announces technical reshuffle as Verstappen supports Lambiase's McLaren move

Red Bull Racing has announced a key internal promotion to strengthen its technical leadership, while three-time world champion Max Verstappen has publicly endorsed the departure of his long-time race engineer, Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, to McLaren for 2028. The moves highlight both the team's proactive restructuring and the continued high-profile talent drain from the reigning constructors' champions.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's dominance in recent years has been built on technical excellence and stable, high-performing team dynamics. These simultaneous announcements—one a planned internal promotion, the other a significant external loss—test the team's resilience. Maintaining technical momentum while managing the departure of a figure as integral to Verstappen's success as Lambiase is a critical challenge for a team aiming to extend its championship reign.

The details:

• Internal Promotion: Red Bull has promoted Ben Waterhouse from Head of Performance Engineering to the newly created role of Chief Performance and Design Engineer. He will now have overarching responsibility across both design and vehicle performance, reporting directly to Technical Director Pierre Waché.
  • Waterhouse is a veteran of the organization, first joining its Jaguar predecessor in 2003 and returning in 2018 after stints at BMW Sauber and Toro Rosso.
• Filling the Gap: To fill Waterhouse's previous role, Red Bull has recruited Andrea Landi from sister team Racing Bulls, where he served as Deputy Technical Director. Landi, who will start as Head of Performance on July 1, also brings experience from a prior role as Deputy Head of Vehicle Performance at Ferrari.
• Verstappen's Reaction: In his first public comments on Lambiase's move, Verstappen revealed he encouraged his engineer to accept McLaren's offer to become their Chief Racing Officer.
  • Verstappen stated, "He told me what kind of offer he’d received. I said: ‘You’d be daft not to take it.’"
  • The driver emphasized the security and opportunity for Lambiase's family, adding, "We’ve already achieved everything together... He asked me for my approval, so to speak, and I told him he absolutely had to go for it."

What's next:

The effectiveness of Red Bull's technical reshuffle will be judged on track in the coming seasons, as Waterhouse and Landi settle into their expanded roles. The larger question surrounds the team's ability to stem the flow of key personnel to rivals, a trend that has recently included aerodynamicist Adrian Newey and former advisor Helmut Marko. Verstappen's pragmatic and supportive public stance may help ensure a smooth transition with Lambiase through the end of 2027, but replacing such a trusted confidant will be one of the team's most delicate tasks.