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Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's race engineer at Red Bull, is set to seal a shock move to McLaren come 2028. Lambiase, who is affectionately known as 'GP' with the Milton Keynes based team, will reportedly depart at the end of the 2027 campaign.

His contract with the blue brand does not expire until next year, but when it's up, it's widely understood the Frenchman will depart Red Bull to link-up with the current World Constructors' Champions, 10 years after he first joined Toro Rosso in 2016. This is a huge blow for Verstappen, who has had Lambiase on the other side of his radio since he was promoted to the senior team a decade ago.

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Dutch outlet De Telegraaf understand Lambiase's arrival at McLaren at the end of the 2027 campaign is connected with the expected departure of Andrea Stella, who has been linked with a return to Ferrari. Lambiase was supposedly offered the role of team principal at Aston Martin in the off season, but he turned it down.

He has previously said he does not see himself being the race engineer for any other driver than Verstappen. However, team principal is another proposition.

Lambiase is also expected to be given a bumper pay increase if he joins McLaren with a 'huge offer' already being accepted.

The Frenchman will also have many reunions of his own with McLaren. He will link up with chief designer Rob Marshall and chief strategist Will Courtenay, who both previously left Red Bull to join McLaren. This news also proceeds reports claiming technical director Pierre Wache is under huge pressure.

Several senior figures have left Red Bull over the last few years. Christian Horner was sacked as team principal in the summer of 2025 after 20 years, while director of partnerships Julia George an group marketing director Simon Smith-Wright left in the build-up to the 2026 campaign.

Before their exits, former group chief marketing and commercial officer Oliver Hughes and former group communications director Paul Smith has also departed just after Horner's departure. In the paddock, Guillaume Dezoteux, who was a key engineer at Red Bull for around 18 years, was also snapped up by Ferrari.

Of course, there is also the future of Verstappen himself that needs addressing. The Dutchman has looked increasingly unhappy as the new campaign has gone on.

After his disappointing finish at the Japense GP, he heavily suggested he was contemplating his future in the sport as a whole. He has been rallying against the new F1 regulations in particular, frequently comparing the new cars to "Mario Kart" while also suggesting there are other projects he'd like to pursue.