In a move that signals a major shift in the Formula 1 paddock, Red Bull Racing and McLaren have both confirmed that Gianpiero Lambiase will abandon the Milton Keynes-based squad to join the Woking team in 2028.
Lambiase, widely known as “GP,” has been the voice in Max Verstappen’s ear since 2016, when the Dutchman was promoted from Toro Rosso. Together, the pair have navigated the highs and lows of the sport, steering Verstappen to multiple world championships. Upon his arrival at McLaren, Lambiase is set to take on the role of Chief Racing Officer.
According to a statement from Red Bull, Lambiase will remain with the team until his current contract expires in 2028. Until that planned departure, he will continue to serve as the Head of Racing and the race engineer for Max Verstappen. The team emphasized that both Lambiase and the organization remain “fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together,” despite a turbulent start to the 2026 season with their new-generation car.
For McLaren, the appointment is a strategic move to bolster their operational leadership. The role of Chief Racing Officer is currently handled by Team Principal Andrea Stella; however, the team’s growth has created a demand for a dedicated leader to oversee the race team’s operational side. McLaren stated that Lambiase is the latest hire intended to strengthen the talent pool at McLaren Mastercard and reaffirm their commitment to remaining a championship-winning team.
This high-profile defection is part of a broader trend of senior Red Bull figures migrating to McLaren. Lambiase follows Rob Marshall, who joined as chief designer in early 2024, and former Red Bull head of race strategy Will Courtenay, who became McLaren’s sporting director in January 2026. This exodus follows the departures of chief technical officer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley in 2024, as well as the firing of former team principal Christian Horner in July 2025.
Lambiase’s journey in F1 began in 2005 as a data engineer for Jordan, later becoming a race engineer for Force India before joining Red Bull in 2015, where he initially worked with Daniil Kvyat before partnering with Verstappen.
