Max Verstappen to race without longtime engineer Gianpiero Lambiase at Austrian GP for first time since 2016. Max Verstappen will race the Austrian Grand Prix without his longtime race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Forced absence
The Austrian Grand Prix is not like any other race for Red Bull, as it takes place on their own circuit—renamed Red Bull Ring after its acquisition in 2004—and considering the nationality of the parent company, which is 50% Austrian (the other 50% is Thai).

Max Verstappen has often showcased his talent in this race, as demonstrated by his victories in 2018, 2019, 2021 (two wins), and 2023.

On the Styrian hills this weekend, however, Max Verstappen will have to cope with a significant absence among his team because—according to De Telegraaf—Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s race engineer and Red Bull’s racing manager, will be missing.
This is the first absence since May 2016, when his collaboration with Max Verstappen began. The reason for the absence is personal, and Lambiase is expected to return next week at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.

Who will replace him?
The same Dutch source explains that Simon Rennie, a 45-year-old English engineer, will take Gianpiero Lambiase’s place for the Austrian Grand Prix. Rennie has worked for many years with Daniel Ricciardo before moving to an internal role in Milton Keynes in 2018 (with the exception of 2020, when he worked on track with Alex Albon). Rennie also has a long-standing relationship with Max Verstappen, as he is the lead engineer of Red Bull’s simulator program.