Steiner: 'Nothing is forever' as Lambiase exit continues Red Bull exodus

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner sees the impending departure of Max Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, as part of a natural "cycle" for Red Bull, following a wave of high-profile exits from the reigning champions. Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028, ending one of F1's most successful driver-engineer partnerships just as Red Bull's competitive dominance shows signs of waning.

Why it matters:

The loss of Lambiase, a central figure in Verstappen's success and race-day operations, symbolizes a significant cultural and technical shift within Red Bull Racing. It amplifies an ongoing talent drain that includes design legend Adrian Newey and other key technical figures, potentially impacting team stability and performance continuity as the squad also embarks on the complex challenge of becoming its own power unit manufacturer in 2026.

The details:

• Steiner framed the series of departures as an inevitable phase, stating on the Drive to Wynn podcast that "everything is cyclical" in F1.
• He suggested personnel are leaving when their market value is highest, as Red Bull transitions from a period of total dominance.
  • "Red Bull were so good for such a long time, and some people want something new," Steiner said.
• Lambiase joins a growing list of key figures who have left or announced exits, including Technical Director Pierre Waché (reportedly), Chief Engineer Rob Marshall, and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley.
• Steiner noted the potential for a domino effect: "I think if one starts to do that, a lot of people follow. And every time, the team becomes weaker and then goes backwards, and more people leave."

What's next:

The focus turns to how Red Bull manages this transition period. The team must integrate new personnel, maintain competitive performance against resurgent rivals like McLaren and Ferrari, and develop its 2026 power unit—all while managing the speculation surrounding the future of star driver Max Verstappen. As Steiner concluded, "All good things come to an end," signaling a pivotal chapter for the team that has defined the recent era of Formula 1.