'Red Bull poach Aston Martin key figure to strengthen the team'

His destination therefore appears to be the team of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. Red Bull is working hard to strengthen the team, with Mercedes’ Gwen Lagrue as the first addition and successor to Helmut Marko. The next major signing now seems almost finalized, reports the German outlet BILD. The publication writes that McCullough will become the new Head of Racing - the role Lambiase held at Red Bull in addition to being Verstappen’s race engineer.

That aligns with the news that the Briton will leave Aston Martin at the end of the year. At the British team, he most recently served as Performance Director. Earlier this week, this website already reported that the Brit would depart at the end of 2026 after thirteen years with the Silverstone-based outfit. In recent times, McCullough held a broader role at Aston Martin and did not focus solely on the Formula 1 project. It is unclear why McCullough is stepping down. Nor is it clear who will succeed him, or whether his position will be filled again at all.

At Red Bull, McCullough would reportedly take on a similar role as Head of Racing. He would be responsible for all trackside operations and manage the engineers during Grands Prix. It’s a crucial position, currently still held by one of Red Bull’s most recognizable figures. Until the end of his contract, the Briton with Italian roots is expected to continue fulfilling his dual role.

Lambiase has signed with McLaren and is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2027, but it is not known exactly when he will join McLaren. Red Bull has already found a replacement for his role as Verstappen’s race engineer: Tom Hart. The Brit was initially set to move to Williams, but Red Bull managed to convince him to stay. As GPblog wrote at the end of July, it appears that Hart will fully take over from Lambiase at the start of 2027.

At the beginning of next season, the Briton with Italian roots is expected to begin his gardening leave, the mandatory cooling-off period between two employments in Formula 1. As a result, Lambiase will be able to start directly in his new role at McLaren at the start of the 2028 season.