UPDATE: The news has now been made official:
Gianpiero Lambiase joined Red Bull Racing at the end of the 2014 season and began his tenure with the team by working alongside Daniil Kvyat. However, following the Russian driver's departure in early 2016, he took on a new challenge as the then-17-year-old Max Verstappen's race engineer.
They've been together ever since, forming a formidable partnership that's seen them win four Drivers' Championships together. Made Head of Race Engineering in 2022 and Head of Racing in 2024, all signs pointed to "GP" remaining a huge part of the team for the foreseeable future.
Well, something has changed. Multiple outlets are reporting that Lambiase will leave Red Bull at the end of the 2027 season. He's expected to then move to McLaren in 2028, where he will likely shadow current Team Principal Andrea Stella before taking over that role himself.
There's speculation that Stella is keen to return to Italy, where he would join Ferrari, possibly as its Team Principal (replacing Frenchman Fred Vasseur).
Lambiase would be far from the first key figure from Red Bull to move to McLaren. Previously, chief designer Rob Marshall and head strategist Will Courtenay also made the switch, with Courtenay taking on the role of sporting director at McLaren.
Red Bull has rapidly lost almost all of the main team members who brought them Championship success from 2021 onwards, and has started the 2026 season as a midfield team.
So, what of Verstappen? He's already confirmed that he's considering retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2026 because of his unhappiness with the divisive new regulations. The Dutchman has repeatedly said he only ever wanted to win one World Championship. With three more on top of that and a seemingly endless series of records broken, it's clear Verstappen wouldn't be too broken up about moving on.
GP's decision to leave for McLaren is by no means confirmation that Verstappen has decided to leave, and there's already speculation among fans that he might follow his longtime race engineer to the team (and may, in fact, go there before him, given the performance-based exit clause in his Red Bull contract).
The plot has thickened, thanks to an update from trusted Verstappen insider Erik van Haren. He writes, "Zak Brown (McLaren) is also keeping a close eye on Max Verstappen's situation. By signing 'GP' Lambiase, he has an extra ace up his sleeve. Lambiase's impending departure has, in a direct sense, nothing to do with Verstappen's future."
This story is going to be well worth keeping an eye on...