Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure from Red Bull Racing, announced on Thursday (09), raised doubts about Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1, and his father, Jos Verstappen, commented on the subject for the first time. The former driver also addressed his son’s old statement, who in 2021 claimed he could leave the category if the engineer left the team.
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The announcement of Lambiase’s transfer to McLaren, scheduled to happen after the end of his contract with Red Bull at the end of 2027, quickly generated speculation about the impact on Verstappen’s career. The strong partnership between driver and engineer was a fundamental piece in the Dutchman’s four titles.
According to Jos, the change was already known internally: “We have known for some time, and we also knew when it would happen,” he told RaceXpress. “We still have a year and a half, two years to work with him. It’s a great opportunity for him and we understand that. We also said that Gianpiero should do it and grab it with both hands. The rest depends on Red Bull to replace him. We’ll see.”
After winning his first Formula 1 title, Max Verstappen even stated that he could leave the category if Lambiase left. Now, Jos believes the scenario is different: “I think things have changed. Especially after four titles, they have achieved a lot together. The rest depends on Max, but I think he will simply continue,” he stated.
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Even so, the four-time champion’s future remains open, especially due to current Formula 1 rules. Jos highlighted that his son has been reflecting on continuing in the category and that the pleasure of driving is no longer the same: “It’s crazy that GT3 is more enjoyable to race than Formula 1. It used to be the opposite. All GT3 drivers were desperate to feel what Formula 1 was like, but today that is hard to find.”
The former driver also showed personal dissatisfaction with the direction of the category: “As a driver, I also like it less. Sometimes I’m watching and I turn off the TV because it interests me less. It’s not the Formula 1 that Formula 1 represents,” he added.
For Jos, the category has become more of a technical dispute than one of skill: “Now I see it more as an engineering competition, where the driver has to lift off a lot and can no longer make the difference. I think that’s a shame in Formula 1,” he concluded, citing that limitations, especially related to energy management, make it difficult for drivers to perform on track.
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