Verstappen makes Red Bull exit admission – ‘I’d be an idiot’ | F1 | Sport

Max Verstappen has admitted he would be ‘an idiot’ to stand in the way of Gianpiero Lambiase furthering his career, with the race engineer set to leave Red Bull when his contract expires in 2028 – although there have been suggestions his exit could be brought forward. The team confirmed his impending departure earlier this month, just hours after it emerged that Lambiase had chosen to pursue a new challenge elsewhere.

He will join McLaren, and in a statement, a Red Bull spokesperson said: “Oracle Red Bull Racing confirms that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave the team in 2028, when his current contract expires. GP is a valued member of the team, which he joined in 2015. The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together.” A McLaren spokesperson hailed Lambiase as a ‘top talent’.

However, the F1 driver softened his stance and made it clear that Lambiase leaves with his full blessing. “I will have to work with someone else, but I think times change, and the offer that he got, I would be an idiot to try and keep him,” he told reporters (via RacingNews365).

“It’s not only about me all the time. It is also about his career and moving forward, so for me, it was a no-brainer to be honest, but we are looking to the future now, and working with different engineers, and I’m sure we’ll find solutions for that.

“I explained it in Holland about what happened, and we have a very honest and open relationship, so it was all good. I already said that I wish him the best and that there are no hard feelings, and that as a team, we look to the future and want to innovate and improve.”

When asked if Lambiase’s departure had any impact on his decision to stay with Red Bull long-term, Verstappen simply replied that: “It has got nothing to do with it.”