Tom Hart to replace GianPiero Lambiase as Verstappen's race engineer in 2027

Tom Hart will step up as Max Verstappen’s race engineer at Red Bull from the 2027 season, replacing the departing GianPiero Lambiase. The move comes after Hart abandoned a planned switch to Williams in favor of staying with the team where he has worked since 2012. It marks a significant internal promotion for the performance engineer after more than a decade at Milton Keynes.

Why it matters:

Lambiase has been Verstappen’s engineer since 2016 and is a cornerstone of the four-time champion’s success. His departure to McLaren as chief racing officer leaves big shoes to fill at a critical moment. Hart’s decision to stay prevents another key staffer from walking out at a time when Red Bull is fighting to retain talent amid performance struggles and swirling uncertainty over its star driver’s future.

The details:

• Hart was set to join Williams as Alex Albon’s race engineer before an agreement was struck for him to remain at Red Bull.
• He has been gaining race engineering experience in recent weeks during tests with reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda, and previously deputised for Lambiase during practice at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
• Sporting director Laurent Mekies recently revealed that some personnel had "changed their mind" about leaving, addressing fears of an exodus following Lambiase’s exit.

What's next:

Verstappen’s own future remains the elephant in the room. He is understood to be in talks with McLaren and holds an exit clause allowing him to leave Red Bull if he sits below second in the standings at the summer break.

• Currently seventh and 68 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton with just one race remaining before the August shutdown, that clause could be triggered imminently.
• Red Bull is banking on Hart’s promotion to ensure garage continuity, but the bigger question is whether Verstappen himself will still be in the car when 2027 begins.