Red Bull calls Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren a ‘once‑in‑a‑lifetime’ opportunity

Gianpiero Lambiase, the architect behind Red Bull’s dominant race strategy and Max Verstappen’s race engineer since 2016, will join McLaren as chief racing officer for the 2028 season. The move ends a 13‑year tenure at Red Bull, prompting praise from team principal Laurent Mekies and Verstappen, who called it a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity.

Why it matters:

• Lambiase brings a proven race‑strategy mind to McLaren, a potential boost for a team still chasing consistent podiums.
• Red Bull loses a key technical figure, prompting a reshuffle of its race‑operations leadership.

The details:

• Joined Red Bull in 2015, became Verstappen’s race engineer in 2016, helped secure four titles and two championships; promoted to head of racing in 2025 after Wheatley left.
• McLaren announced he will become chief racing officer in 2028, reporting to team principal Andrea Stella.
• Mekies called the move “once in a lifetime” and said Red Bull will turn it into growth opportunities; Verstappen urged him to take the role for family security.

What’s next:

• McLaren will embed Lambiase in its performance department to sharpen race‑day decision‑making for 2028.
• Red Bull will look to promote internally or recruit externally to fill the head‑of‑racing vacancy, while monitoring further staff movements.