Red Bull Racing leaves Abu Dhabi carrying both a major race victory and a growing list of uncertainties. The team that once embodied stability under Dietrich Mateschitz now faces questions on multiple fronts: Helmut Marko is unsure of his future, key personnel have already exited, and the status of Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, remains unresolved.
With several other members of Verstappen’s core engineering group set to depart in 2026, the possibility of more disruption raises significant concerns for the four-time World Champion.
A Team That Has Transformed Dramatically
Only a few seasons ago, Red Bull projected continuity and control. Mateschitz oversaw the broader organisation, while Helmut Marko played the role of trusted advisor and talent overseer. Christian Horner, as team principal, handled the day-to-day pressures of Formula One and fronted most media obligations.
The technical structure was equally robust: Adrian Newey and Pierre Waché shaped the design philosophy, and Jonathan Wheatley excelled as sporting director. Together, they produced competitive machinery that Verstappen consistently converted into championships, supported closely by race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
That era now feels distant. Mateschitz passed away in 2022, just before Red Bull secured its first Constructors’ Title since 2013. At the time, Verstappen publicly expressed hope that the team’s foundation would remain intact. But, under the constraints of the budget cap and ongoing internal tensions, Red Bull has faced an inevitable period of change.
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Departure of Key Figures and Loss of Stability
The months following Mateschitz’s death brought increasing friction between Horner and Marko, and the investigation into Horner earlier in 2024 only deepened the divide. Rivals observed the turmoil and acted decisively. Wheatley departed to become team boss at Sauber, soon to be Audi, while Adrian Newey confirmed his exit during the Miami weekend. Newey is now with Aston Martin for 2026, in a leadership role.
Performance at the track began to slip, culminating in Christian Horner’s dismissal in 2025. Laurent Mekies stepped in as his successor, and the team’s form stabilised through the final phase of the season. However, the calm that followed has not erased doubts about what lies ahead. With Marko himself publicly acknowledging uncertainty, Verstappen now faces the possibility that Lambiase’s future may also be in flux.
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Marko’s Future in Question
Verstappen described the current atmosphere within the team as positive, but Marko’s words after the race painted a more complicated picture. Despite being contracted until 2026, the 82-year-old advisor admitted he does not yet know whether he will remain with Red Bull beyond the coming winter. He confirmed that internal discussions would determine his position, hinting at broader structural considerations behind the scenes. A source within the Red Bull factory also confirmed to this website that Marko was expected to be exiting soon.
“It’s complex,” he said, acknowledging that his future involves “several things.”
He also expressed disappointment at narrowly missing the 2025 world title, emphasising the difficulty of maintaining championship-level consistency across five consecutive seasons.
Mekies, asked about Marko’s future, offered a diplomatic response, but did little to dispel speculation. He credited Marko’s support during the team’s mid-season recovery and highlighted the significant decisions made in recent months, his own appointment, Horner’s dismissal, and the reshuffling of both Red Bull and RB driver line-ups. However, Mekies also hinted at ongoing organisational refinement: Formula 1, he said, demands constant reassessment.
While Red Bull leadership appears satisfied with Marko’s contribution, Marko seems unsettled by his diminishing influence within the modernised structure.
The coming weeks may prove decisive if the whispers within the paddock turn up to be correct.
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Lambiase’s Role Under Review
Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer since 2016 and a central pillar of his success, is also evaluating his future. Lambiase was visibly emotional after the Abu Dhabi finale, a reflection of both personal challenges and the strain of a difficult season. He missed the Austrian and Belgian Grands Prix earlier this year, and his availability for Qatar had been uncertain until late in the process due to ongoing private matters.
According to Motorsport.com, Lambiase’s role for 2026 remains undecided, and will be discussed internally during the winter. A reduced-intensity role may be considered, potentially placing him higher in the organisation or in a position that involves fewer race-weekend responsibilities.
Should he step back from direct race engineering duties, Red Bull may turn to Simon Rennie, Ricciardo’s former engineer, who filled in during Lambiase’s absences.
At present, no final decision has been made, and Lambiase’s personal circumstances will influence both his own choice and the team’s options.
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A Difficult Situation for Verstappen
For Verstappen, this uncertainty is particularly painful. Beyond Lambiase, three members of his core engineering group—Tom Hart, Michael Manning, and David Martin—are already confirmed to be leaving at the end of the current season. This means the Dutchman faces a substantial shift in his support structure, regardless of what happens next.
Verstappen spoke cautiously about Lambiase’s position, noting only that “It has been an emotional year.”
More importantly, he emphasised their personal bond.
“He is my race engineer, but I really see him as a friend,” Verstappen said. Lambiase is one of the few people able to challenge Verstappen during tense moments on the radio, and their professional relationship has become foundational to his dominance.
The four-time champion indicated he intends to spend time with Lambiase during the winter, supporting him through what he described as a “difficult” season. Those comments suggest that Verstappen is preparing for the possibility of Lambiase stepping away, or at least changing roles, in 2026.
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How Red Bull’s Uncertainty Impacts Verstappen’s Future
All of this raises critical questions about Verstappen’s own long-term plans. In 2024, he made clear that, if Marko were forced out, he would consider walking away from Red Bull. In multiple interviews, he has repeated that he does not intend to race indefinitely, and may retire earlier than many expect. Lambiase’s status adds another layer of complexity: losing the engineer he trusts the most could heavily influence his outlook.
His behaviour in Abu Dhabi was also noteworthy. Verstappen chose not to back up the field or play strategy games typical of a championship decider; he simply won, as decisively as possible. His extended post-race reflections, praising Red Bull, Lambiase, and Honda, suggested someone mindful of major transitions ahead.
Whether Verstappen is preparing for a future without Marko and Lambiase, or contemplating his own exit from Formula One, remains unknown. But one thing is clear: Red Bull enters the 2026 transition period not only with technical regulation changes on the horizon, but also facing one of the most unstable personnel situations in the Verstappen era.
For a team once defined by its consistency, the months ahead may prove pivotal, not just for Red Bull, but for the trajectory of one of Formula One’s most successful partnerships.
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Lewis Hamilton left his Mercedes Formula One team after twelve seasons of huge success together. In fact in F1 history the partnership between the team and the seven times champion was the most successful ever.
Yet following the failure by Mercedes to pit Hamilton at a crucial time in the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which cost him a record eight drivers’ title, Hamilton was never the same driver again.
In 2022 Lewis failed to win a Grand Prix for the first time in his career and as if to add insult to injury, he was outscored by his new junior team mate, George Russell, who won his maiden Grand Prix in Brazil to clinch the inter-team mate battle.
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That year saw a big change in the FIA car design regulations as the new ground effect car specifications changed the face of F1 racing and Mercedes, unlike in 2014, missed the brief. Much was expected of the zero pod W13 car design, but early F1 analysts expectations were quickly dashed.
“We got it wrong,” Hamilton complained early season after being lapped by Max Verstappen at the Emilia Romagne Grand Prix. “Nothing we do…seems to work” said Lewis after a difficult Friday session in Montreal. “We’re trying different set-ups… for me it was a disaster”.
As George Russell became the points leader out of the Mercedes driver’s, Hamilton’s narrative was that he was the driver doing extreme setup experiments to help the team understand the car. “We are obviously not fighting for the championship. But we are fighting to understand the car and improve and progress through the year,” Hamilton claimed at the British Grand Prix.
Whilst in 2023, Hamilton was able to beat his team mate, it was yet another winless season for the British driver. Come the early European season, Hamilton was publicly criticising the team for failing to listen to him in terms of improving the handling characteristics of the W14…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
Alex Stanton is a Formula 1 journalist at TJ13 with a focus on the financial and commercial dynamics that underpin the sport. Alex contributes reporting and analysis on team ownership structures, sponsorship trends, and the evolving business model of Formula 1.
At TJ13, Alex covers topics including manufacturer investment, cost cap implications, and the strategic direction of teams navigating an increasingly complex financial environment. Alex’s work often examines how commercial decisions translate into on-track performance and long-term competitiveness.
With a strong interest in the intersection of sport and business, Alex provides context around Formula 1’s global growth, including media rights, expansion markets, and manufacturer influence.
Alex’s reporting aims to explain the financial realities behind headline stories, helping readers understand how money, governance, and strategy shape the competitive order in Formula 1.
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
