Lambiase leaving: what next for Max + Red Bull? Can McLaren catch Mercedes in '26?

Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to discuss the news that Max Verstappen’s race engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, will leave Red Bull Racing in 2028 and join McLaren as their Chief Racing Officer. What does Lambiase’s departure mean for Red Bull? How will it affect Verstappen’s future at the team? And what will GP bring to McLaren? Plus, the guys are joined by McLaren’s Technical Director of Performance, Mark Temple, who says Mercedes are 'beatable' in 2026 and tells us about the upgrade work being done at the factory before the Miami GP. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Saily: Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans. Use code F1nation at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to saily.com/f1nation

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Lambiase leaving: what next for Max + Red Bull? Can McLaren catch Mercedes in '26? is an episode from F1 Nation.

This episode is 40:51 long.

This episode was published on Apr 12, 2026.

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