Max Verstappen breaks silence on Gianpiero Lambiase Red Bull F1 exit
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has publicly addressed the departure of his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase from Red Bull Racing, describing the move as a significant personal and professional loss.
Lambiase, widely known as “GP” on team radio, has been a central figure in Verstappen’s success, guiding him through all four of his world championship campaigns. However, it was confirmed last week that he will leave Red Bull to join rivals McLaren no later than the 2028 season.
Speaking for the first time since the announcement, Verstappen revealed that the decision had been discussed privately between the pair before it became public. The Dutch driver broke his silence during an event hosted by Viaplay in Amsterdam.
“He told me about the offer he received,” Verstappen said, as reported by De Telegraaf. “We spoke about it in detail. It shows the kind of relationship we have — open and honest.”
The 28-year-old acknowledged the scale of the opportunity presented to Lambiase, while also admitting the departure would leave a noticeable gap within Red Bull’s inner circle.
Lambiase has long been considered Verstappen’s closest ally on the pit wall, their direct and often blunt radio exchanges becoming a hallmark of Red Bull’s dominance in recent years. His exit now marks the loss of one of the last remaining key figures from the team’s championship-winning core.
Verstappen stopped short of criticising the move, instead expressing understanding of Lambiase’s decision to pursue a new challenge.
“Of course, it’s not easy to see him go,” he added. “But in this sport, opportunities like that come along, and you have to respect it.”
The timing of the departure raises further questions about Red Bull’s future structure heading into the 2027 regulation changes, particularly as the team faces increasing competition from McLaren and other front-running outfits.
With Lambiase set to switch sides, attention will now turn to how Red Bull reshapes its engineering lineup — and whether Verstappen can maintain his dominance without the voice that has guided him throughout his title-winning era.