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Max Verstappen might now be about to see another top figure leave Red Bull as Aston Martin are said to be in talks to hire his long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
The exit doors at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes have frequently been spinning for the last 18 months. Adrian Newey kicked off the raft of departures when he elected to leave Red Bull in May 2024, and Jonathan Wheatley then followed him on the way out in August 2024.
Red Bull also sacked Christian Horner after 20 years as their team principal in July 2025, and Helmut Marko also confirmed he was leaving after 20 years as their F1 motorsport adviser in December. A number of mechanics and engineers will also be moving to new teams in 2026.
Lambiase may soon join Red Bull’s exits list, too, as questions have been swirling concerning his future since the end of the 2025 F1 season. It was already said that Lambiase has chosen to step back from his role as Verstappen’s race engineer and move into a factory-based role.
Fill in the gap: Max Verstappen will finish his F1 career with _____ titles
Aston Martin hold talks with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase
Lambiase may yet opt to leave Red Bull entirely, though, and he could reunite with Newey at Aston Martin. That is according to The Race, which reports that Aston Martin have held talks with Lambiase about leaving Red Bull and joining the Silverstone natives in a senior position.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin F1 team principal Adrian Newey
Aston Martin are offering Lambiase a management-level role, which could see him take over some or all of the team principal responsibilities that Newey will inherit in 2026. Newey and Lambiase retain a good relationship from their time together at Red Bull from 2014 to 2024.
Alternatively, British-Italian engineer Lambiase could take up the CEO role that Aston Martin left vacant after moving Andy Cowell to the role of chief strategy officer in November. Aston Martin decided to replace Cowell with Newey as their team principal from the 2026 season.
Lambiase has yet to decide how he intends to respond to Aston Martin’s interest, which may see him replace Newey as the Silverstone squad’s team principal when he is able to join. Red Bull would be expected to fight to retain Lambiase, who also serves as their head of racing.
F1 fans expect Aston Martin will target Max Verstappen if Gianpiero Lambiase joins
Red Bull added the role of head of racing to Lambiase’s remit in 2025, as the team moved to fill the void that Wheatley left by becoming Sauber’s team principal ahead of their rebrand as Audi in 2026. Lambiase has been Verstappen’s engineer since he joined Red Bull in 2016.
A lot of F1 fans expect Red Bull would also have another void to fill if Aston Martin convince Lambiase to switch teams, as many believe Newey’s interest in a reunion is a stepping stone toward signing Verstappen. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will be out of contract in 2026.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Finish the sentence: In 2027, the Aston Martin driver line-up will be…
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll holds a long-term interest in the 28-year-old, who could leave Red Bull at the end of 2026. Verstappen has a release clause in his contract at Red Bull through 2028 that will be on offer if he is outside the top two in the standings next summer.
One fan reacted on X to the reports of Aston Martin holding talks with Lambiase by sharing: “If GP heads to Aston, then the next target that Lawrence Stroll is going to come for is Max Verstappen. I believe Lambiase is the only hook that’s holding Max to Red Bull.”
Another fan noted: “Newey is taking all the steps to pull Max to Aston Martin. If Lambiase comes too, then Verstappen would become the biggest candidate for Aston Martin. The conditions for him to exit his [Red Bull] contract are already forming.”
One fan also claimed: “Lambiase to Aston Martin? Could Verstappen follow suit?” While one fan suggested: “It really would not surprise me if Aston Martin go hell for leather and get Verstappen by offering him a money-can’t-buy deal.”
Another fan shared: “If Lambiase ends up going to Aston Martin, with Newey already there, it would not be surprising if Aston Martin, should they end up with a competitive car, give Max Verstappen a little call.”
One fan even declared: “Red Bull should stop pretending it’s just paddock gossip and start bolting Verstappen’s door.” While one fan suggested: “Aston Martin are just re-making Red Bull. Max in 2027 to replace the retiring 2026 world champion, Alonso.”
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