Tom Hart to Step in as Max Verstappen's Race Engineer for Select 2026 Races

GianPiero Lambiase, who has been Max Verstappen's race engineer since 2016, is set to hand over the reins to Tom Hart for three races in the 2026 season. Hart will start his stint at the United States Grand Prix next weekend, as he prepares to become Verstappen's full-time race engineer in 2027. This change comes as Lambiase plans to move to McLaren, where he will take up the position of chief racing officer. McLaren has indicated that Lambiase will begin his role in Woking by 2028 at the latest, making the 2026 season his last year with Red Bull.

Hart, who chose to stay with Red Bull rather than join Williams, already stood in for Lambiase during practice at the Italian Grand Prix as part of the transition process. He is expected to continue this role at the Brazilian and Las Vegas Grands Prix. Meanwhile, Lambiase will still attend these races and will resume his responsibilities for the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

McLaren is eager for an early release for Lambiase, although a specific timeline for his departure remains undefined. Zak Brown, McLaren's chief executive, expressed optimism about Lambiase joining the team sometime next year.

At the Singapore Grand Prix, where Verstappen claimed a second consecutive victory, Lambiase had the honor of collecting the winning constructor's trophy. The race was not without its challenges, as radio communication issues left Verstappen's messages largely inaudible. In a post-race quip, Verstappen suggested Lambiase might have enjoyed the radio silence. Despite these issues, the pair managed a successful outing, adding another win to their record.