Red Bull confirms key engineer Lambiase's 2028 departure

Red Bull Racing has officially announced that Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, the race engineer and strategic mastermind behind Max Verstappen's success, will leave the team when his contract expires in 2028. Lambiase will continue in his dual roles as Head of Racing and Verstappen's race engineer until his departure, with both parties committed to adding more victories in the interim. This marks the planned end of one of the most successful driver-engineer partnerships in Formula 1 history, which has yielded four world championships and over 70 Grand Prix wins.

Why it matters:

The driver-race engineer relationship is one of the most critical and symbiotic in Formula 1, directly impacting in-race strategy, car setup, and driver confidence. Lambiase's partnership with Verstappen has been a cornerstone of Red Bull's dominance, with their clear and often candid radio communications becoming legendary. His planned departure, while four years away, signals a significant future change for the team's operational core and for Verstappen's inner circle, prompting a long-term succession plan for a key technical leadership role.

The details:

• Official Timeline: Red Bull confirmed Lambiase will leave at the end of the 2028 season, when his current contract concludes, framing it as a planned future departure.
• Current Role: Until 2028, he retains his pivotal dual positions: Head of Racing (a senior team operations role) and, most notably, Max Verstappen's race engineer.
• Historic Partnership: Lambiase joined Red Bull in 2015 and was paired with Verstappen shortly after the Dutch driver's promotion in 2016. Their nearly decade-long collaboration is among the most successful in the sport's history.
• Team Statement: Red Bull emphasized continued commitment, stating, "The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together."

What's next:

The announcement provides a long runway for Red Bull to manage this major transition.

• The immediate focus remains on the current and coming championship campaigns, with stability assured through the 2028 season.
• However, the team will inevitably begin the long-term process of identifying and grooming a successor for both the Head of Racing role and, crucially, the race engineer position for Verstappen. Finding an engineer who can match Lambiase's strategic acumen and unique rapport with the reigning champion will be a paramount challenge for Red Bull's future.