There’s hypothesis that Max Verstappen’s long-time engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase could possibly be shifting to Aston Martin.
The London-born Italian joined Pink Bull in 2015 having begun his profession in F1 with Jordan in 2005 and remained with the Silverstone-based outfit throughout its varied incarnations.
Initially race engineer to Daniil Kvyat, when the Russian was changed by Max Verstappen in 2016, Lambiase continued with the Dutch teenager and has remained with him ever since, overseeing his 4 championship wins.
He remained Verstappen’s engineer regardless of his promotion throughout the workforce, and quite a few tetchy radio exchanges, taking on as Head of Race Engineering from Guillaume Rocquelin in 2022, then Head of Racing type the beginning of 2025 following Jonathan Wheatley’s departure to Sauber.
Within the aftermath of Christian Horner’s sacking, Lambiase successfully grew to become the third most senior member of the workforce, reporting solely to (Technical Director) Pierre Wache and Laurent Mekies.
Within the moments following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the place Verstappen narrowly missed out on a fifth successive title, Lambiase informed the Dutchman: “You will be pleased with that mate, maintain your head up excessive.”
In a cryptic response, Verstappen mentioned: “We confirmed them one ultimate time who’s boss.”
The remark, coupled with Lambiase’s seen emotion post-race, led to hypothesis that he would not proceed to work with the Dutchman.
Including to the hypothesis was the truth that, resulting from private causes, Lambiase had missed each the Austrian and Belgian races, having been changed by Simon Rennie at each occasions.
Whereas it’s unclear exactly what Lambiase’s function shall be, the waters considerably muddied by that Abu Dhabi alternate with Verstappen, The Race claims that the London-born Italian has held talks with Aston Martin relating to a senior function which might successfully take him again to the place his F1 journey started.
Whereas it’s prompt that the function could possibly be that of CEO, there’s additionally discuss of Lambiase being given the job of Group Principal, despite the fact that it was solely final month that Adrian Newey was given the function whereas Andy Cowell was appointed Chief Technique Officer.
What along with his mission being to design a championship successful automobile, Newey’s extra function as workforce principal has led to a lot confusion as to how precisely the design guru may handle to juggle such important and totally different roles successfully.
Chatting with Sky in Abu Dhabi, Newey emphasised that his major accountability to the workforce was designing a successful automobile.
“That is actually what I wish to do and must do,” he mentioned. “That is what will get me away from bed within the morning. So, I am decided to not dilute that.”
A transfer again to Silverstone would see Lambiase reunited with Newey and would clearly enhance hypothesis that Verstappen can be contemplating a transfer.
Whereas conscious of the truth that Aston Martin can already supply Newey as a carrot, Verstappen shall be all too conscious of the truth that the workforce with which he achieved his titles is just not the identical.
Apart from Horner, Hellmut Marko has now gone, as has chief mechanic Matt Caller, efficiency engineer Tom Hart, management engineer Michael Manning and engine engineer David Mart.
