McLaren moved to end the rumors involving Gianpiero Lambiase (also known as ‘GP’), after various speculations about a possible future change in the leadership of the British team. McLaren boss Andrea Stella clarified what the role of Max Verstappen’s current race engineer at Red Bull Racing will be when he joins the British team in the 2028 Formula 1 season.
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This move gained attention after Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s chief, stated during the Miami GP weekend that Lambiase was preparing to eventually take over as McLaren’s team principal. The statement increased doubts about the leadership structure of the Woking team.
However, Stella assured that the hiring of the Italian professional was made exclusively to strengthen McLaren’s leadership group. According to the executive, Lambiase’s arrival is part of a long-term project to make the team even stronger in the coming years.
McLaren announced last month that Lambiase will take on the role of sporting director of the team, working directly under Stella. The team principal highlighted that both he and the team CEO, Zak Brown, seek to bring together the top talents in Formula 1 to consolidate the team’s structure: “What I said earlier is that, for us, it is important to hire the best talents in Formula 1. Zak and I want to build the strongest team, not only in the present but also looking to the future,” Stella said.
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The executive recalled his time at Ferrari in the 2000s to explain the importance of having experienced professionals in leadership positions. According to him, winning teams need a solid structure prepared to deal with long-term challenges within the category.
“I was part of Ferrari in the early 2000s and I know what level of experience, leadership, and knowledge is necessary to succeed now and in the future. Hiring ‘GP’ is part of this vision to create complementary leadership, capable of further strengthening McLaren,” he added.
Stella also admitted that his current role demands a great deal of daily effort, and stated that Lambiase’s arrival will help share responsibilities within the team: “I really wanted GP to come to McLaren. I am extremely overwhelmed in the role of team principal and need a strong group of leaders working with me. The plan is very clear. Any other speculation just leads us back to the ‘rumor season,’” he concluded.
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