Source: Official Team Post via X
Verstappen's Farewell to Lambiase: 'Don't Be Silly, We'll Win More'
Max Verstappen shared a moment of reflection about his successful partnership with GianPiero Lambiase as the engineer prepares to leave Red Bull. With Lambiase set for a future role at McLaren, Verstappen's new race engineer, Tom Hart, will take the reins at the upcoming United States Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen recently reminisced about an exchange with his long-time race engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, where he reassured him of their future successes together. This comes as Verstappen's new race engineer, Tom Hart, is set to replace Lambiase at the United States Grand Prix next weekend. Lambiase, Verstappen's trusted engineer since 2016, is on track to join McLaren as their chief racing officer by 2027. McLaren is reportedly eager for an early start, with their CEO, Zak Brown, expressing hopes for Lambiase's arrival sooner rather than later.
Verstappen recalled telling Lambiase not to worry about podium finishes when the engineer joked in Las Vegas last year that it might be his last appearance on the podium. "Don’t be silly, we’re going to win much more," Verstappen assured him, though he admitted he nearly jinxed himself with that optimism. The moment was special, especially since Lambiase joined him on the podium in Singapore, a track where they hadn't previously won together.
Red Bull has faced scrutiny this season with the debut of its in-house engine, but the team has managed to win the last two races. Verstappen's victories in the Bahrain Grand Prix (held in Malaysia) and Singapore signal a return to form after a shaky start.
GianPiero Lambiase's podium presence in Singapore was his first since the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, marking a poignant moment as he prepares to transition to McLaren. Meanwhile, Tom Hart, who joined Red Bull in 2012 and moved up to performance engineer by 2020, is set to take over as Verstappen's race engineer. Hart's debut in this role will be at the United States Grand Prix, with Lambiase still expected to be present.
Hart's journey to this position is notable; he was initially set to move to Williams to work with Alex Albon. However, a deal between Laurent Mekies and James Vowles kept him at Red Bull, where he now steps into a crucial role supporting Verstappen. Hart's previous experience includes standing in for Lambiase during practice at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza earlier this year.
As the season progresses, Hart will serve as Verstappen's engineer in both the Brazilian and Las Vegas Grands Prix, continuing the transition as Red Bull adapts to these changes in their engineering team.