Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen’s race engineer at Red Bull Racing, Gianpiero Lambiase, has parted ways with the team and has signed with a rival team in a “multi-million-pound” deal.

Lambiase has been poached by McLaren Racing. This comes less than two years after Lambiase became the head of racing at Red Bull in an internal restructuring in 2024.

Sources have stated that Lambiase agreed to a deal with the Papaya outfit for a huge amount and is set to end his Red Bull journey at the end of 2027.

This also suggests a potential change in McLaren’s leadership structure, especially when you consider team principal Andrea Stella’s rumored move back to Ferrari in the future.

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Lambiase’s move could matter a great deal to Verstappen, who has worked with him since his move to Red Bull in May 2016. The two shared a chemistry that led to huge success, helping Verstappen win four championship titles.

Red Bull lost several high-profile personnel to other teams in the last few years, such as Rob Marshall, who joined McLaren, Adrian Newey to Aston Martin, and Jonathan Wheatley to the Audi F1 team.

Now though, the question that remains is whether Verstappen will follow Lambiase and leave Red Bull himself, considering that the four-time world champion’s Red Bull contract ends at the end of 2028.

In addition, Verstappen is not happy with F1’s 2026 regulations, which requires drivers to slow their cars on certain sections to harvest energy. Red Bull is struggling to find pace on the RB22 F1 car, and Verstappen has made it clear that he could walk away from the sport if nothing is done to change it.

MotorBiscuit reported Verstappen’s comments after the Japanese Grand Prix, when he was asked if he was going to quit F1. He said:

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.

“Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”