McLaren insiders deny Gianpiero Lambiase is set to replace Andrea Stella in 2028

Reports of a major Formula 1 reshuffle gathered pace this week, with claims that Gianpiero Lambiase has agreed a lucrative deal to leave Red Bull and join McLaren in 2028. Early speculation suggested the British-Italian engineer was being lined up as a future successor to team principal Andrea Stella — but McLaren insiders have firmly pushed back on that narrative.

McLaren insist Lambiase will support, not succeed, Stella

Initial reports from Dutch media indicated that Lambiase had agreed to join McLaren from 2028, alongside suggestions that Stella had already signed a pre-contract with Ferrari. Stella, who worked at Ferrari between 2000 and 2014 before joining McLaren in 2015, has been at the helm of the Woking-based team since replacing Andreas Seidl as team principal in December 2022.

However, according to BBC Sport, ‘senior insiders’ at both McLaren and Red Bull have privately confirmed that Lambiase is set to switch teams for 2028 — while also denying that his arrival is linked to Stella returning to Ferrari.

McLaren insiders insist that Lambiase is being recruited to support Stella, not to replace him.

Currently Red Bull’s head of racing and Max Verstappen’s race engineer, the 45-year-old is expected to strengthen McLaren’s race-operations structure. The intention is to give Stella greater freedom to focus on broader leadership responsibilities.

Addressing the expanding Team Principal role

McLaren believe the increasing complexity of the modern F1 team principal role requires additional support at senior level. Stella is effectively operating in a dual capacity, serving as both team principal and de facto technical director.

Lambiase is therefore expected to concentrate on racing and trackside operations, easing the strain of race weekend responsibilities from Stella. According to The Race, his role will largely centre on reducing that operational burden.

Within McLaren, there is a clear belief that Lambiase’s “experience and talent” will be a significant asset to the team’s future structure.

Timeline uncertainty and contractual complications

Despite the agreement in principle, McLaren may have to wait.

Red Bull are expected to hold Lambiase to his existing contract through the end of 2027, after which he would serve a period of gardening leave before formally joining McLaren in 2028. There remains the possibility of a negotiated release that could accelerate the timeline.

Motorsport.com has also reported that it “cannot be ruled out” that Lambiase could depart Red Bull at the end of 2026 and spend the entirety of 2027 on gardening leave.

Meanwhile, Stella is reportedly under contract with McLaren until the end of the 2030 season — a detail that further undercuts suggestions of an imminent leadership transition.

What it means for Verstappen and Red Bull

Lambiase has been a central figure at Red Bull since joining in 2015 as Daniil Kvyat’s race engineer. He retained that position when Max Verstappen arrived in 2016 and stepped into a dual role as head of racing at the start of the 2025 season.

His planned departure inevitably raises questions about Verstappen’s long-term future.

Verstappen has previously threatened to retire from Formula 1 at the end of 2026 due to dissatisfaction with the incoming engine regulations. He also holds a release clause in his contract.

The Dutch driver is highly likely to earn the right to terminate his Red Bull deal through 2028 early, as the clause can be triggered if he is outside the top two in the drivers’ standings at the 2026 summer break. Based on current projections, Red Bull may require a dramatic turnaround to prevent that scenario.

Whether Lambiase’s eventual exit influences Verstappen’s thinking remains to be seen. What is clear is that McLaren’s move is about strengthening an already successful leadership structure — not dismantling it.