Red Bull have reportedly found a replacement for Gianpiero Lambiase, according to former team advisor Helmut Marko.

Lambiase, currently Max Verstappen’s race engineer and Head of Race Engineering at Red Bull, is due to join McLaren in 2028 in a senior position under team principal Andrea Stella. Though there had been speculation that Stella might be heading to Ferrari with Lambiase taking his place, McLaren have denied any such move.

It turns out Ferrari may still be involved. Marko said Red Bull have signed someone from Maranello to fill Lambiase’s role once he departs.

Lambiase will remain with Red Bull until 2028 while he waits for the move but having made his future plans clear, Alex Brundle thinks it would make sense for the team to make the switch sooner rather than later.

With Red Bull already dealing with the departures of key people like Adrian Newey and Pierre Waché this year, planning ahead has become more important than ever. According to Marko, the team is wasting no time by bringing in someone who can step into Lambiase’s position without too much of an adjustment period.

Marko was asked by OE24 about Red Bull’s slow start to the 2024 season. The team has just 16 points after three races, putting them sixth in the standings.

“You feel for the whole team,” he said. “But let’s hope for tradition – that, as in the past, they’ll turn things around this time too.” When asked about concerns over the 2026 engine partnership with Ford, Marko added: “Yes, but the engine, which certainly isn’t the best, isn’t the main problem.”

He continued: “Saying it’s not working at all is an exaggeration. It worked acceptably at the first race in Melbourne, where we qualified third (thanks to Isack Hadjar, ed.). However, the subsequent developments went in the wrong direction.”

Lambiase joins a growing list of high-profile departures from Red Bull in recent months. But according to Marko, his successor is already set to come from Ferrari.

“Successful people are always being poached and Lambiase was in the public eye because of Max,” he said. “They’ve brought in a replacement from Ferrari…”

Lambiase’s departure adds to the list of changes around Verstappen at Red Bull, and this one feels particularly significant. Few people have been as close to the driver over the years, and replacing that kind of connection isn’t straightforward.

The partnership between Lambiase and Verstappen has underpinned much of Red Bull’s recent success. Their working relationship has become something of a constant in a sport full of change.

Lambiase will leave behind a remarkable legacy, both with the Dutchman and the wider team. As his replacement steps into those shoes, it won’t be easy for anyone involved.

Verstappen didn’t try to block Lambiase’s move, instead encouraging him to take up what was seen as an excellent opportunity with McLaren. But it does leave a significant void in Verstappen’s support structure at Red Bull.

Christian Danner even suggested that Verstappen might clash with his new engineer in a similar way that Lewis Hamilton did early on at Ferrari with Riccardo Adami. That comparison highlights how important personal chemistry is in these roles. It’s not just about technical knowledge; it’s about communication and trust built up over time.

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