– When Red Bull announced Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure on Thursday, it came as a surprise to many. However, Max Verstappen had known for some time that his race engineer would be leaving the team for McLaren.
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“We’ve known for a while and we also knew when it would happen,” Max’s father Jos Verstappen reveals to RaceXpress. In fact, the Verstappen camp even advised Lambiase to accept the McLaren offer.
“It’s a huge opportunity for him and we understand that,” emphasizes former Formula 1 driver Verstappen, explaining: “We also told him that he should do it, that he should grab this opportunity with both hands.”
At the same time, the Dutchman reminds us that Lambiase is still under contract with Red Bull until 2027. Therefore, it is currently not yet known who will take over Lambiase’s duties after his departure.
That is a decision Red Bull has to make, according to Verstappen. Interestingly, the 54-year-old does not believe that his son could leave Red Bull together with Lambiase at the end of next year.
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Yet only a few weeks ago, Verstappen had told de Telegraaf: “To be honest, I’m afraid that Max will lose his motivation. Driving a Formula 1 car used to be the greatest thing ever for him, but at the moment I’m quite pessimistic about it.”
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In the meantime, he sees the situation a bit more relaxed. “It looks like Formula 1 and the FIA are going to adjust the rules after all. Let’s see what they can do this year, that will help,” explains the Dutchman.
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“I think they know exactly what they have to do,” says Verstappen, whose son has repeatedly expressed negative views publicly about the new regulations in the premier class over the past weeks and months.
Jos Verstappen understands this criticism. He also has “less fun” watching as a racing driver, he emphasizes. “That’s why I watch every now and then and then just turn off the TV. Because it interests me less,” reveals Verstappen.
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“Now it’s more of an engineering competition,” says the long-time Formula 1 pilot, who hopes that drivers will be able to make a bigger difference again in the future. If that happens, son Max should also be able to drive in the premier class for a bit longer.
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