Helmut Marko claims Red Bull have quietly signed Gianpiero Lambiase’s replacement

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Red Bull have reportedly found a replacement for Gianpiero Lambiase, according to former team advisor Helmut Marko.

Lambiase, currently Max Verstappen’s race engineer and Head of Race Engineering at Red Bull, is due to join McLaren in 2028 in a senior position under team principal Andrea Stella. Though there had been speculation that Stella might be heading to Ferrari with Lambiase taking his place, McLaren have denied any such move.

It turns out Ferrari may still be involved. Marko said Red Bull have signed someone from Maranello to fill Lambiase’s role once he departs.

Lambiase will remain with Red Bull until 2028 while he waits for the move but having made his future plans clear, Alex Brundle thinks it would make sense for the team to make the switch sooner rather than later.

With Red Bull already dealing with the departures of key people like Adrian Newey and Pierre Waché this year, planning ahead has become more important than ever. According to Marko, the team is wasting no time by bringing in someone who can step into Lambiase’s position without too much of an adjustment period.

Red Bull take new arrival from Ferrari as Lambiase’s replacement

Marko was asked by OE24 about Red Bull’s slow start to the 2024 season. The team has just 16 points after three races, putting them sixth in the standings.

“You feel for the whole team,” he said. “But let’s hope for tradition – that, as in the past, they’ll turn things around this time too.” When asked about concerns over the 2026 engine partnership with Ford, Marko added: “Yes, but the engine, which certainly isn’t the best, isn’t the main problem.”

He continued: “Saying it’s not working at all is an exaggeration. It worked acceptably at the first race in Melbourne, where we qualified third (thanks to Isack Hadjar, ed.). However, the subsequent developments went in the wrong direction.”

Lambiase joins a growing list of high-profile departures from in recent months. But according to Marko, his successor is already set to come from Ferrari.