McLaren CEO Zak Brown has hinted that Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s longtime Formula 1 race engineer, could leave Red Bull for McLaren as early as 2027—earlier than initially announced.
Lambiase, who has been a key part of Verstappen’s Red Bull success over the past decade, was originally expected to join McLaren in 2028 as Chief Racing Officer. However, Brown recently told Sky Sports F1, “I’m optimistic we’ll see him in papaya at some point next year,” signaling that negotiations could accelerate his arrival.
McLaren has intensified efforts in recent months to bring Lambiase to Woking sooner, while Red Bull has started preparing for his eventual departure. Tom Hart has already stepped in as Verstappen’s race engineer during some practice sessions and is expected to succeed Lambiase when the time comes. Red Bull also recruited former Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who will become their head of racing in 2027.
McLaren’s official statement confirmed Lambiase would join them “no later than 2028,” but Brown’s optimism suggests fans could see the highly regarded engineer in McLaren colors as soon as 2027.
This move underscores McLaren’s commitment to strengthening their team and building a long-term championship-winning operation under the guidance of Brown and team principal Andrea Stella.
