Red Bull retains Verstappen's engineer as Marko departs

Red Bull Racing is undergoing a major leadership transition as the team confirms the departure of long-serving advisor Helmut Marko, while simultaneously securing the future of a key figure in Max Verstappen's success: his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. The moves signal a significant shift in the team's internal dynamics as it prepares for the 2026 season.

Why it matters:

Marko has been a foundational pillar of Red Bull's F1 project since its inception, instrumental in driver development and team strategy. His exit, described by the team with "deep regret," marks the end of an era and raises questions about the future power structure within the championship-winning squad. Conversely, retaining Lambiase provides crucial stability for Verstappen, ensuring the potent driver-engineer partnership that has delivered multiple titles remains intact.

The details:

• Marko's Departure: The 82-year-old Austrian's future had been the subject of speculation following the Abu Dhabi season finale. Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff expressed the team's "deep regret" at his decision to step down after the 2025 season.
• Lambiase Stays Put: Despite the emotional scenes with Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase is confirmed to remain as the Dutch driver's race engineer for the 2026 campaign, dismissing rumors of a potential split.
• Driver Line-up Change: The team is also managing a shift in its race seat, with Yuki Tsunoda moving to a reserve role. Tsunoda and Verstappen exchanged helmets as a farewell gesture. His race seat will be taken by promoted junior Isack Hadjar, who completed his first official test in Abu Dhabi and reported feeling "comfortable" with the team.
• Test Disruption: The post-season young driver test in Abu Dhabi was briefly interrupted by a red flag after a crash for Ryo Hirakawa in the Haas.

What's next:

With Marko's influential role now vacant, Red Bull's leadership must navigate a new chapter. The focus will be on integrating Hadjar smoothly into the race team while maintaining the high-performance environment that has made Verstappen and Lambiase so dominant. How the team manages this transition off-track could be as critical to its 2026 prospects as developments on the car.