Why Lambiase enjoys working with 'direct' Verstappen

Max Verstappen can sometimes sound pretty fierce or irritated on the radio, but race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has no problem with that from the pit wall. He tells the magazine Red Bulletin. GP' says that Verstappen's directness is a sign of trust.

When Verstappen made the switch from the then Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing in May 2016, he found himself working with Lambiase. The two didn't know each other at all, but it turned out to be a golden match. Verstappen and Lambiase are two birds with one stone. They know exactly what they need from each other, and they need very few words to understand each other.

Verstappen quite direct

"The relationship between a driver and a race engineer is based on mutual trust. The more direct a driver is, the more he trusts the team. My experience is that if a driver stops giving his honest opinion about the car and starts circling it, the results get worse. Max is direct, but so am I. That makes working with him very open, honest and easy," says Lambiase.

At Red Bull they are impressed by the precise feedback Verstappen provides time and again. The reigning world champion doesn't need many kilometres in the RB18 to show where time can be gained. "He explains very precisely where he can push the car to the limit and what exactly he needs to drive faster. We always know what to do because of his instructions. A driver who can communicate clearly is a great gift."

Excellent relationship Verstappen/Lambiase

Verstappen has already said he only wants to work with Lambiase for the rest of his Formula One career, and no-one else. If the British Italian quits, Verstappen will also quit. At least, that is what the Dutchman once said.