Gianpiero Lambiase move now tipped to see Zak Brown take on new role at McLaren

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Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren could see Zak Brown take on a new role within the team, it has been claimed. 

Last week, it was confirmed that Lambiase would leave Red Bull in 2028 and join rivals McLaren.

According to a statement from McLaren, Lambiase will become the Chief Racing Officer and will report to team principal Andrea Stella. 

Prior to McLaren’s statement, Stella was linked with a return to Ferrari, potentially to replace Fred Vasseur as team principal.

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Gianpiero Lambiase’s arrival could see Zak Brown take on new role at McLaren

Speaking recently on The Two Mechanics podcast, Mark Grain, who previously worked at McLaren, spoke about Lambiase’s arrival. 

Grain ‘has heard’ that contrary to reports and McLaren’s own statement, Lambiase is set to become team principal, a move that could cause a domino effect.

He claimed that Lambiase’s arrival could see Stella move up to Brown’s current role as CEO, with the American becoming the group’s chairman.

Grain said: “The only thing I wonder is if Lambiase is coming as team principal, Andrea is moving up to take Zak’s role, and Zak moves up to the chairman role of the whole group, looking after the motor racing team.

“The thing I’ve heard is that Lambiase is going and his contract is as team principal. At the moment, the press release is saying it’s head of racing, but I don’t know what that means. It’s a press release name, I think.” 

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Grain also stated that there could be more changes incoming at McLaren, with one of his former colleagues already taking on a new role. 

He added: “The other thing I’m hearing about McLaren is that my former colleague and friend, Piers Thynne, COO, I believe, has moved into another role. So we’ll have to keep an eye on that. 

“Behind closed doors, there are movements within McLaren, we’ll see, and that’s what I’ve got at the moment.”

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Andrea Stella played a part in Gianpiero Lambiase’s McLaren move

Amid reports that Lambiase could replace Stella as team principal, it was claimed that the Italian ‘instigated’ McLaren’s bid to sign the Red Bull man.

According to Sky Sports F1 reporter Craig Slater, Stella wanted McLaren to move for Lambiase.

He said: “People might be reading as well that Lambiase going to McLaren is a sign that Andrea Stella is leaving as team principal to go to Ferrari.

“Absolute rubbish is the response I’ve had from a senior figure at McLaren, he is 1000% staying as team principal, was involved in the decision making and partly instigated to try and bring Lambiase to McLaren.”