Following the announcement of Jonathan Wheatley’s departure from Red Bull, speculation has surged about a potential major change within the team. Ted Kravitz has hinted that Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, might step into the role of sporting director.
Red Bull recently confirmed that their long-standing sporting director, Jonathan Wheatley, will leave his position at the end of this season. Wheatley is set to join Audi as the team principal, sharing the management responsibilities with former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto. This departure has triggered discussions about who will replace him, and all eyes are on Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
Announcing Wheatley’s departure after an 18-year tenure, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner mentioned that the team would promote from within to find a suitable replacement. According to Horner, “Red Bull Racing has tremendous strength and depth, and this provides an opportunity to elevate others within the team. We will announce a new team structure in the coming weeks.”
Immediately, speculation arose that Lambiase, who has been Verstappen’s race engineer since he joined Red Bull, was the leading candidate. The duo, often likened to an “old married couple,” has enjoyed significant success, securing 61 Grand Prix victories and three World Championships. However, now there is a possibility that they might part ways, with Lambiase potentially taking up half of Wheatley’s role as sporting director while another individual assumes the FIA rules expert duties.
Ted Kravitz, in the latest Sky F1 podcast, questioned the possible replacements within Red Bull, given the high value associated with someone knowledgeable about the rules and maintaining a sharp race team. Kravitz speculated, “I can think of quite a few guys within Red Bull who were mechanics and have risen to a senior level, similar to Wheatley’s path from being chief mechanic at Benetton and Renault.”
Kravitz also mentioned that while some believe Lambiase could be a strong candidate for the sporting director role, he might be reluctant to abandon the excitement and direct involvement of race engineering. As Kravitz stated, “It’s fun winning races and championships, so I’m not sure whether GP would want to leave that.”
Meanwhile, Verstappen’s future with Red Bull is also a hot topic, with Mercedes and Aston Martin reportedly keen to sign him for the 2026 F1 championship. This potential promotion for Lambiase adds another layer of intrigue to Verstappen’s decision-making process regarding his long-term career plans.
If Gianpiero Lambiase steps into the sporting director role, it could mark a significant shift in Red Bull’s dynamics and potentially impact Max Verstappen’s future decisions. As the team prepares to restructure, all eyes will be on Red Bull’s next moves.
