McLaren pushing to accelerate Max Verstappen ally's Red Bull exit - report

McLaren is reportedly negotiating with Red Bull to expedite Gianpiero Lambiase's transition to their team, where he will serve as chief racing officer. This move could leave Max Verstappen without his long-time race engineer for up to three races towards the end of the current season, as Lambiase is set to join McLaren by 2028.

In preparation for this change, Tom Hart is being groomed to take over as Verstappen's race engineer. Hart has already had a practice session with Verstappen and is expected to lead during three specific race weekends in 2026. Meanwhile, Red Bull is filling Lambiase's role by appointing Tom McCullough as the new head of racing.