F1 Rumor: Max Verstappen To Part Ways With Gianpiero Lambiase In Major Red Bull Change

Saajan Jogia | Aug 14, 2024

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. / Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Red Bull is preparing for a major shift following the announcement of sporting director Jonathan Wheatley's departure. Sky F1 pundit Ted Kravitz has revealed that Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is poised to step into the role, alongside another experienced team member well-versed in the sport's regulations.

Wheatley is set to take over the role of Sauber/Audi team principal next season, as the German manufacturer gets ready for its entry into the premier class in 2026. He will form a dual management structure alongside Mattia Binotto, who was recently appointed as the chief operating officer, and chief technical officer.

It is rumored that Verstappen’s trusted race engineer, Lambiase, is a top contender to succeed Wheatley. Lambiase, who has been with Verstappen since his Red Bull debut, has played a crucial role in their successful partnership, which secured 61 Grand Prix victories and three championship titles. Under the new arrangement, he is expected to share the role with another team member specializing in FIA regulations.

The speculation arrives after team principal Christian Horner revealed following Wheatley's exit announcement, that Red Bull would prefer to elevate others within the team instead of hiring talent externally, and the new team structure will be announced in a few weeks.

Speaking on the latest Sky F1 podcast about Lambiase's potential split with Verstappen, Kravitz asked:

“Who are they going to get to replace him [Jonathan Wheatley] is the question.

“Because being such a valuable guy in terms of the rules and keeping a razor-sharp race team, how are they going to divide up?

“I can think of quite a few guys within Red Bull who were mechanics and have risen through to be that sort of senior level mechanic role, which Wheatley, of course, used to be a chief mechanic at Benetton and Renault, that’s how he got into his position.

“I can imagine those guys moving up, and they know the rules as well.

“Some people have speculated that Gianpiero Lambiase might go into that sporting director role. I don’t think he wants to leave the cut and thrust and the fun of race engineering…”

Podcast host Matt Baker responded with a touch of sarcasm, saying, "Being shouted out by Max Verstappen every week." In reply, Kravitz speculated that one of the chief mechanics might be promoted to share the role. He replied:

“That is quite fun, I mean until it’s not.

“But it’s fun winning races and winning championships. So I’m not sure whether GP [Gianpiero Lambiase] would want to leave that.

“Red Bull are going to promote from within, and there’s probably going to be this thing where they actually get two people.

“They’ll probably be one of the chief mechanics, who will run the race team, pit stops and all of that. And they’ll find somebody who knows the rules very well, who they’ll put into the sporting manager or sporting director role.”