In an interview uploaded on the Racexpress YouTube channel, Jos Verstappen, former F1 Driver and father of 4-time Red Bull World Champion Max Verstappen, weighed in on the surprising news of GianPiero Lambiase leaving Red Bull for McLaren, the 2026 season, and regulations.
Earlier this week, news broke that GianPiero Lambiase, who served as Max Verstappen’s race engineer ever since the latter joined Red Bull at the 2016 F1 Spanish GP, would be joining McLaren by 2028. At McLaren, Lambiase will take over as Chief Racing Officer. While the news came as a bit of a surprise, Verstappen implied that he, as well as his son, Max Verstappen, were not only in the know but even encouraged Lambiase to go ahead with the career-enhancing move.
Lambiase’s McLaren move not a suprise for Verstappen family
“We knew it for a while, and we also knew when that was going to happen, so we still have a year and a half, two years to work with him. It’s a huge opportunity for him, and we understand it. We also said, ‘You have to do that, you have to grab it with both hands.’ And the rest is up to Red Bull to replace him, so we’ll see.”
In the past, Max Verstappen has alluded that his stay at Red Bull was contingent on being partnered with Lambiase, which raises questions about whether the four-time F1 Champion will remain at Red Bull and in F1 once Lambiase leaves for McLaren. His current contract is set to end after the 2028 F1 season. Asked about his son potentially leaving, Verstappen said, “things have changed,” but that he believed his son would stay.
“I think things have changed, and especially after four championships, you have achieved a lot together. The latter [whether to continue] is up to Max [Verstappen], but I just think he will continue.”
Verstappen is positive that amendments to the regulations will help
However, the exit of Lambiase is not the only reason Max Verstappen’s F1 future has been the subject of speculation. The 28-year-old Red Bull driver has been quite critical of the 2026 F1 regulations, which impact the Dutchman’s enjoyment of the sport and put his F1 future in question. Since the start of the 2026 F1 season, Verstappen, along with fellow drivers, has been vocal about the need for changes to the regulations to improve the racing experience.
Following the most recent F1 GP at Suzuka, the FIA announced it would discuss possible changes to the 2026 regulations. Initial talks have already commenced with further meetings scheduled for later this month. Jos Verstappen is confident that F1 and the FIA are aware of “what to do”.
“I think so, it looks like F1 and the FIA are going to change the regulations after all. Look what they can do this year, that will help, but I think everyone, the fans, but also the drivers, they are complaining, and I think it’s good for F1 to achieve that [improved regulations]. But I think they know very well what to do.”
Verstappen gives his take on the 2026 F1 season
Giving his opinion about the current state of F1, Verstappen echoed his son’s dislike, noting that his interest in F1 is waning due to the diminished role of the driver in what he calls an “engineering competition.”
“As a driver, I also like it less. Every now and then, I’m watching, and I just turn off the television because it doesn’t interest me as much. It is not the F1 that F1 stands for, which demands a lot of the driver.
“Now it is more of an engineering competition where the driver has to lift a lot and where they can no longer make the difference as a driver. I think that’s a shame about F1.”
