A Key Player In Max Verstappen's Success is Leaving Red Bull For McLaren

For Formula 1 fans, if the name Gianpiero Lambiase doesn't ring a bell, his voice certainly will.

That's because he has been Red Bull star Max Verstappen's race engineer for a decade and was in the Dutchman's ear for all four of his championships. He is also the team's Head of Racing.

However, it has been announced that he will be making a big move away from Red Bull when his current deal is up in 2028, and moving to McLaren to become their Chief Racing Officer," Red Bull said in a statement, per Formula 1.

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"Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave the team in 2028, when his current contract expires. 'GP' is a valued member of the team, which he joined in 2015. "Until his planned departure, 'GP' continues in his roles as Head of Racing and as Race Engineer to Max Verstappen. The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together."

That's a big move, and it comes at a fascinating time for Red Bull and for Verstappen.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase in the garage during practice ahead this season's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

While Lambiase will be around for a couple more years, he'll be the latest in a growing list of long-time Red Bull team members who have left in just the last couple of seasons. Team Principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko were let go last season, while designer Adrian Newey left to join Aston Martin. 

Before that, ex-Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley left to join what is now Audi (though he recently left that position).

This also comes as Verstappen himself has openly discussed the idea of retiring from Formula 1 due to frustration with the current regulations. There are also always rumblings that he could look to switch to a different team, especially if Red Bull continues to struggle this season.

So, could losing his long-time engineer be a factor in any decisions he makes about leaving the team or the sport altogether?

We'll have to wait and see.