Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in a surprise move by 2028 but there appears to be a difference of opinion about the role he will hold.

Red Bull announced last month that Lambiase was leaving his role as head of race engineering and Verstappen’s engineer to join McLaren, who said he would take up the position of chief racing officer “no later than 2028”.

McLaren also explained at the time of the announcement that the role of chief racing officer already existed within their structure, and that the duties were currently being handled by Andrea Stella in addition to his responsibilities as team principal.

However, discussing Lambiase’s departure at the Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies told Sky Sports F1 that his current employee “is going to be a team principal” at McLaren.

Reacting to a question about Lambiase becoming the latest key figure to leave Red Bull in recent times, Mekies said: “We don’t want to be defensive about it. We have lost quite a few key people in the last four, five years, it is very true.

“We take it very seriously and everything we do is to try to make sure that we have the best environment to attract, to develop and to retain our people. I’m confident it’s an area we will succeed in.

“Is it going to be a linear way to it with nobody leaving anymore? No. GP (Lambiase) had an extraordinary opportunity. You know, he is going to be a team principal there. It’s not something that I can do anything else than wishing him well.”

Amid initial doubt over whether Mekies’ comments could have been misconstrued, Red Bull confirmed to Sky Sports F1 that the Frenchman believes Lambiase will become McLaren team principal.

Is there really doubt about Stella’s future?

Stella joined McLaren in 2015 from Ferrari as head of race operations and became team principal in 2023 – in line with the Woking-based outfit’s upward trajectory over the last three years.

The 55-year-old is on a long-term contract at McLaren and dismissed speculation earlier this year he was leaving the team for Ferrari, amid suggestions the Italian could be tempted by a return to his homeland and former employers.

“Honestly, some of the recent rumours, including those regarding astronomical salaries and mythical pre-contracts, have made me smile,” said Stella on McLaren’s website in April.

“It almost seems as though the ‘silly season’, which usually begins before summer, has arrived early! I’m quite used to this sort of thing by now and I take it with a smile.

“It almost looks like some envious pastry chef has tried to spoil the preparation of a good dessert at the McLaren patisserie. However, we do know very well how to distinguish the good ingredients from the poisoned biscuits…”

However, Mekies’ comments have raised new questions over Stella’s future as McLaren team principal.

If the Frenchman is correct that Lambiase will become McLaren team principal, that would mean there is a plan for Stella to either change role or leave the Woking squad.

‘Not going to play ping pong’

When Sky Sports F1 put Mekies’ comments to Stella’s boss, McLaren chief executive Zak Brown, the American maintained his team’s dismissive approach to suggestions of a change at the top.

“He (Mekies) knows something I don’t, apparently,” said Brown.

“I’ve got one (a team principal), and I’ve got a great one. I got the best one in the pit lane in Andrea Stella. I couldn’t be happier than (I am with) Andrea.”

Brown was spotted going into the Red Bull hospitality on race day of the Miami Grand Prix to talk to Mekies, who confirmed the pair discussed their comments about Lambiase.

“I talk very often with Zak and with my other colleagues,” he said.

“But certainly, none of us wanted to go into a ping pong about it, and we had a good chat about it, like we always do, and we moved on.”

Even ignoring the apparent disagreement between Red Bull and McLaren over Lambiase’s future position, both teams must agree when Verstappen’s engineer leaves.

Red Bull insist Lambiase will see out his contract which runs until the end of 2027, McLaren are in continued talks to sign him.

And Red Bull themselves are looking for a Lambiase replacement, which will be particularly important for Verstappen, given his almost brotherly-like relationship with Lambiase.

“The general understanding that we [me and Lambiase] have with each other, and the chemistry works really well,” said the four-time world champion.

“That’s very rare in racing. You don’t see that often that a driver and engineer, they gel that well together. That’s something that I’ll have to try and find again. It’s not that easy but sometimes, of course, that happens.”

Mekies added: “In terms of replacing GP, we have a couple of years to think about it. As much as, as I said many times, we don’t want to be defensive about the fact that we lost some talent, it’s a fact. And it’s been there for three or four years.

“As a result of that, it’s the highest priority in the team to make sure that we create the environment in order to retain, develop, and attract the best talent.

“We feel we have the best talent already, department by department. And that starts with Ben [Hodgkinson] on the power unit side for his team, and with Pierre [Wache] on the chassis side and his team.”

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