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Gianpiero Lambiase will push for McLaren to sign Max Verstappen when he joins from Red Bull, according to a report. It emerged on Thursday that Lambiase is making a shock move to the reigning champions.
Lambiase’s McLaren move may have to wait until 2028 given that his Red Bull contract runs until the end of next year. Still, it will inevitably be linked to the ongoing uncertainty around Verstappen’s F1 future.
As reported by De Telegraaf, Verstappen is deciding whether he wants to continue in the sport after the new regulations removed his enjoyment. If he does stay, Red Bull must demonstrate that they can fix their underperforming car, otherwise he is bound to consider a transfer.
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The news comes from Erik van Haren of De Telegraaf
Gianpiero Lambiase will advocate for Max Verstappen to McLaren
According to journalist Erik van Haren, Verstappen knew that his engineer would leave eventually. Lambiase turned down Aston Martin in the winter but there was a sense that his exit was ‘bound to happen’.
There is talk that Andrea Stella will move on amid links to Ferrari, paving the way for Lambiase to become McLaren team principal. Verstappen recognises that this is a lucrative and transformative opportunity for his right-hand man.
Equally, Verstappen is now losing ‘all of his regular engineers’, and the upheaval at Red Bull may inspire optimism among his suitors.
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While Toto Wolff recently ruled out a move for Verstappen, the pair maintain an ‘excellent relationship’. The Mercedes boss is keeping ‘his eyes and ears open’ in case the opportunity to make a dream move presents itself.
But significantly, McLaren are contenders to sign Verstappen now that Lambiase is joining. The engineer is ‘undoubtedly putting in a good word’ with CEO Zak Brown and will ‘push’ for the move.
Lando Norris is the world champion and Oscar Piastri has the potential to emulate that feat, but Brown is ‘very taken’ with the idea of signing Verstappen, which is why he enquired about the Dutchman’s contract situation in early 2025.
It’s seen as inevitable that Brown will ‘make an attempt to entice’ Verstappen. For all his satisfaction with his current line-up, he has a shot at signing a bona fide all-time great.
Where Max Verstappen currently stands on retiring from F1
Sources close to Verstappen have told ESPN that retirement is ‘more likely than not’ at this stage. Meetings are taking place in the coming days and weeks over the regulations, and if there is a suitable roadmap for change, it could change the driver’s thinking.
Even if Verstappen does walk away, he will continue to be a factor in the driver market. Top teams won’t want to lock in their line-ups for multiple years unless they are sure he is unavailable long-term.
Indeed, some pundits believe Verstappen could take a sabbatical rather than stopping for good. When the regulations change again at the end of 2030, he will only be 33.
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