Max Verstappen reacts to Gianpiero Lambiase’s transfer

Gianpiero Lambiase's move to McLaren, scheduled for 2028, has naturally sparked reactions in the paddock, starting with Max Verstappen. But the four-time world champion surprised everyone with his calm and level-headed response to the announcement.

We all have colleagues we like to varying degrees. There's the one who never replies to your emails and the one you can't do without—the one without whom life at the office would be pretty sad. Gianpiero Lambiase is one of those people for Max Verstappen. Yet, “I would have been an idiot to try to keep him here,” explained the four-time world champion, rejecting any notion of standing in the way of this career move. For him, such an opportunity cannot be turned down, and standing in the way was out of the question. “It would be stupid to get in his way,” he added, emphasizing that everyone must be able to grow freely.

Verstappen also made a point of noting that this decision shouldn't be viewed solely through his own lens. “It's not all about me,” he stated, before emphasizing that Lambiase needed to think about his future. “He also has to consider what's best for his career.” Despite the announced end of their collaboration, the Red Bull driver expressed no frustration. “We have a very honest and very open relationship,” he said, noting that discussions regarding this departure took place without tension. “We talked about it together and it was very clear,” the driver assured.

Aware that this kind of change is part of life in Formula 1, Max Verstappen is now taking a more pragmatic approach. “At some point, I'll have to work with someone else,” he acknowledged, accepting the idea that cycles come to an end and new collaborations begin. Finally, he even encouraged his engineer to seize this opportunity. “I told him it would be stupid not to accept,” he revealed, proof of their mutual respect remaining intact despite the impending separation.