P1racenews AI automatic summary:
There has been heavy speculation that Max Verstappen will have a new race engineer in 2026 – however RacingNews365 understands there will be no change.
Gianpiero Lambiase is confirmed to continue as Max Verstappen’s race engineer for the 2026 F1 season, despite rumors about his future.
Lambiase showed emotions after Verstappen’s near miss in the season finale at Abu Dhabi last Sunday.
Although Lambiase missed two races this year for personal reasons, reports suggesting his absence from races in 2026 are incorrect.
He will stay on as Verstappen’s race engineer, working from Red Bull’s Milton Keynes base.
Lambiase has been an integral part of Verstappen’s success since 2016, contributing to their shared accomplishments.
On the other hand, there are strong suggestions that Helmut Marko might not be with Red Bull in 2026, following the departure of other key figures.
