Red Bull Confirms GianPiero Lambiase Will Honor Contract Through 2027 Before Landmark McLaren Move

Red Bull's Laurent Mekies confirms GianPiero Lambiase will stay with Max Verstappen for two more years before his "once in a lifetime" move.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 8:11 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PlanetF1

A Transparent Transition in the Paddock

The impending departure of GianPiero Lambiase, a cornerstone of Red Bull’s technical staff since 2015, has been addressed with atypical transparency by team leadership. Team principal Laurent Mekies clarified that the move was not a sudden defection but the result of an extended dialogue between the engineer and the team. Mekies emphasized that the "once in a lifetime" opportunity at McLaren was met with professional respect from the Red Bull hierarchy. By confirming that Lambiase will remain in his current post through the end of 2027, the team aims to quell speculation regarding a sudden "brain drain" and ensure that the most successful driver-engineer partnership of the modern era remains intact for the immediate future.

Verstappen Integrated into Technical Planning

Contrary to rumors suggesting a rift within the garage, Max Verstappen was kept "fully in the loop" throughout the negotiation process. Mekies revealed that the three-time champion was briefed daily on the status of Lambiase’s contract, reflecting Verstappen’s status as an internal partner rather than a mere contractor. The driver’s deep involvement in the team’s recovery efforts—evidenced by recent intensive sessions in the simulator—suggests that the news of Lambiase’s future exit has not dampened his resolve. This open-book policy is designed to maintain trust at a time when Verstappen has been publicly critical of the sport's overarching technical direction.

The Evolution of a Championship Partnership

The relationship between Verstappen and Lambiase is one of the most storied in Formula 1 history, dating back to the driver’s debut win in Spain in 2016. Since 2025, Lambiase has also served as the Head of Racing, a dual role that has made him indispensable to the team’s operational flow. Mekies dismissed the idea that Lambiase has "already left" mentally, asserting that the engineer remains a "fantastic professional" dedicated to securing further victories before his transition. The team plans to use the remaining two years to prepare a succession plan that leverages Red Bull's internal "reservoir of talents."