Three potential heirs to Gianpiero Lambiase’s role at Red Bull

The news surrounding Max Verstappen’s race engineer, which rocked Thursday’s headlines, has inevitably triggered a wave of reactions among fans and insiders alike — with speculation already mounting over who could step into his role at Red Bull at the end of 2027, the date earmarked for his switch to McLaren.

For now, it must be stressed that this is purely speculative, with no concrete developments at this stage — but there are already a few internal candidates Red Bull could turn to in order to avoid being caught off guard.

Simon Rennie stands out as the most natural successor to Lambiase, having already stepped in for him on several occasions and therefore already built a working relationship with Verstappen.

The British engineer also brings a wealth of Formula 1 experience, having worked with world champions such as Fernando Alonso at Renault and Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus, as well as high-profile drivers including Robert Kubica, Mark Webber and Alex Albon.

Another internal option Red Bull could consider is Hugh Bird. The Brit has also previously worked with Verstappen, having been appointed as his performance engineer back in 2018.

From 2021 onwards, Bird moved on to work with Sergio Perez as senior race engineer, before becoming his full-time race engineer from 2022, a role he held until the Dutch Grand Prix in 2024.

Should Red Bull look outside and turn to the market, one intriguing name is Riccardo Adami, long-time race engineer to Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari and, more recently, Lewis Hamilton — although that partnership failed to meet expectations and came to an end at the start of the year.

The Italian came under heavy criticism throughout last season for a lack of sharp communication and limited chemistry with the seven-time world champion, but he still remains one of the most experienced race engineers on the grid.

From Christian Horner to Adrian Newey, via Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall, the list of high-profile exits is a long one - and Lambiase’s looming exit is just the latest chapter in a steady drain of senior talent from Red Bull.

For a team already navigating a tricky start to the season, with no podium finishes on the board and a visibly frustrated Max Verstappen, the departure of the Italian-born race engineer lands as another significant setback - one that Laurent Mekies will ultimately have to absorb.

The impact won’t be immediate, with Lambiase not due to join McLaren until 2028, but the message is clear: an era is drawing to a close. The structure - both technical and human - that underpinned Red Bull’s dominance over the past two decades is beginning to unravel. Here are all the key names behind Red Bull’s gradual exodus.