Gianpiero Lambiase tipped to be McLaren team principal with Andrea Stella heading back to Ferrari

The long-time voice on Max Verstappen’s radio, Lambiase was heavily linked with a switch to Aston Martin late last year, amid talk of a reunion with Adrian Newey. That noise faded at the start of 2026, with indications that Lambiase would stay in Milton Keynes.

Now the situation has shifted again, with multiple outlets in the Netherlands reporting renewed movement around his future.

According to De Limburger and journalist Jacky Martens, there is fresh momentum behind discussions involving Lambiase, a claim later supported by De Telegraaf’s Erik van Haren, who is closely connected to the Red Bull camp.

Further corroboration has come from multiple F1 media sources, reinforcing the sense that Lambiase’s future is once again a live topic inside the paddock.

Despite the renewed speculation, an immediate exit is not expected. Lambiase remains under contract with Red Bull until the end of next year and is set to continue in his dual role as Verstappen’s race engineer and a senior figure within the team’s race operations structure.

Looking beyond that timeframe, reports suggest McLaren is the most likely destination, with a potential move from 2028 forming part of a longer term restructuring plan.

The link is also tied to uncertainty surrounding Andrea Stella’s future, which is increasingly linked to Ferrari. The McLaren team principal is understood to be firmly in place for now, but ongoing paddock talk has pointed to a possible return to Maranello, where he previously worked as a race engineer for Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen.

A shift at the top in Woking could open the door for Lambiase to step into a senior operational role, building on the team’s recent strategy of recruiting Red Bull talent.

McLaren have already secured key figures from Milton Keynes in recent years, including chief designer Rob Marshall and strategy director Will Courtenay, signalling a clear pattern in their technical expansion.

The timing of the renewed speculation is notable given the continued uncertainty around Verstappen’s own future, with the world champion repeatedly avoiding long-term commitments.

For now, Lambiase remains a central figure at Red Bull, but the growing noise around a future move suggests his next chapter may already be taking shape.