GianPiero Lambiase, known as GP in F1, will leave Oracle Red Bull Racing for McLaren after the 2027 season. Red Bull started 2026 poorly, dropping from nearly a fifth WDC title in a row to barely scoring in the last three races. Red Bull now has only 16 points and holds sixth in the constructors’ championship.
Lambiase’s Long Career With Red Bull
Lambiase joined the F1 paddock back in 2005 with Jordan, staying with the team as it went through different names and owners. In a way, he worked for Jordan, Midland, Spyker, and Force India before joining Red Bull in 2015. After one season with Daniil Kvyat, he found success with rookie Max Verstappen. They won their first race together at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and began building their legacy.
GP has spent 10 years with Red Bull and now leads the Racing department. After 12 years in total, he plans to join McLaren, the current WCC, for a new opportunity.
Tensions Rise in the F1 World
After news of GP’s departure broke, rumors spread that McLaren offered him the Team Principal role. This complicates things, as Andrea Stella, McLaren’s current Team Principal, is settled and has led them to two WCCs and a WDC in the past two years. However, McLaren officially states that they are offering GP the Chief Race Officer role instead.
There’s also talk of Stella leaving for Ferrari soon. This puts pressure on Fred Vasseur, who still needs to prove himself to Ferrari’s top management. These claims lack solid evidence. Still, the F1 world may see major power shifts, with new teams having a chance to rise.
Also Read: The Youngest Driver of 2026, Arvind Lindblad
Max Verstappen’s Situation Tightens
Four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen has not reached the podium this season, one of his worst starts ever. He has also openly criticized the current regulations. He has even said he would leave F1 if he doesn’t like the rules. GP’s departure now makes Verstappen’s own exit seem more likely.
Max and GP have a long partnership, and many consider them one of F1’s strongest driver-engineer duos. With GP leaving, McLaren may try to sign Max, as CEO Zak Brown has hinted.
While Zak Brown keeps an eye on Verstappen, Toto Wolff has shown interest for years. The Mercedes Team Principal has said many times that he wants Max to drive for Mercedes soon. Mercedes started this season strongly, which could tempt Max to join and return to winning.
Another Blow to Red Bull as Conditions Worsen
With GP leaving, Red Bull’s decline continues. After 2023, which many regard as F1’s most dominant team season, eight key figures have left Red Bull for different reasons. These include Rob Marshall, Lee Stevenson, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Will Courtney, Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and now GianPiero Lambiase.
With Verstappen’s future uncertain, it’s unclear how Red Bull will adapt and regain past success.
Also Read: Adrian Newey set to leave the Role of Team Principal at AMR Racing.
