Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, responded in a rather direct way on social media to comments made by Andrea Stella regarding Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren by 2028. The long-time race engineer of Verstappen, known as “GP”, will leave Red Bull Racing to take on the role of Chief Racing Officer at the Woking-based team, “no later than” 2028.
This transfer adds to an increasingly long list of high-profile figures leaving the Milton Keynes squad, including Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and Helmut Marko. The move has inevitably sparked debate over the real reasons behind Gianpiero Lambiase’s decision.
While Andrea Stella described the signing as a sign of McLaren’s growing attractiveness, Jos Verstappen offered a much more pragmatic interpretation. The father of Max Verstappen quickly dismissed the matter on social media with a blunt reply:
“Because they are offering him a lot of money.”
A straightforward response that shifts the focus away from the perceived sporting growth of the McLaren project toward more practical financial motivations. It should be noted, however, that the details of the agreement between Gianpiero Lambiase and the Woking-based team have not been made public, even though Andrea Stella has described the signing as an important addition for the team’s future plans.
In summary, the debate over Gianpiero Lambiase’s move to McLaren highlights the tension between team prestige and financial reality in the modern F1 paddock. While McLaren views the acquisition as a sign of their rising status, Jos Verstappen’s pragmatic take suggests that economic factors played the most decisive role in the departure of Max Verstappen’s long-time engineer.
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