Red Bull has confirmed that experienced Formula 1 engineer Tom McCullough will join the team in 2027 as its new Head of Racing, filling the senior trackside role currently held by Gianpiero Lambiase. With Lambiase set to leave Red Bull for McLaren by 2028, the Milton Keynes team has now outlined a succession plan that will also see Tom Hart take over as Max Verstappen’s race engineer.
The move represents another significant step in Red Bull’s preparations for the future. After recruiting Gwen Lagrue from Mercedes to lead its junior programme and strengthen the search for young talent, the team has now identified the man who will inherit Lambiase’s wider responsibilities: former Aston Martin engineer Tom McCullough.
Tom McCullough to replace Gianpiero Lambiase as Red Bull Head of Racing
For years, Gianpiero Lambiase has been one of the key figures inside Red Bull and a central part of Max Verstappen’s success. In recent seasons, Lambiase has performed a dual role, serving as the Dutchman’s race engineer while also acting as Head of Racing and overseeing Red Bull’s engineering group during Grand Prix weekends.
That long association will eventually come to an end. Lambiase is due to leave Red Bull by 2028 to join McLaren, where he will become Chief Racing Officer.
In practical terms, Lambiase will report directly to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and become the principal link between the Italian manager and the wider race team. His departure therefore creates two separate vacancies at Red Bull that will be filled by different people.
Tom Hart to become Max Verstappen’s race engineer
Tom Hart is set to take over Lambiase’s race-engineering responsibilities with Max Verstappen. Hart had been preparing to move to Williams, where he would have performed the same role for Alex Albon, but has instead decided to remain with Red Bull and take on the position alongside Verstappen.
McCullough, meanwhile, will inherit Lambiase’s broader responsibility for Red Bull’s trackside racing operations as Head of Racing.
“We are delighted to welcome Tom to the team at the beginning of 2027 and look forward to benefiting from the wealth of experience and expertise he will bring to the role,” Red Bull said in a statement.
Tom McCullough brings extensive Aston Martin experience to Red Bull
McCullough has been a key figure at Aston Martin for many years, having also worked for the organisation during its Force India and Racing Point eras. He spent four seasons as Chief Race Engineer before becoming Performance Director, a position he held until the end of 2024.
At the beginning of 2025, Aston Martin reorganised its senior structure and McCullough’s Formula 1 responsibilities were absorbed by former team principal Mike Krack. McCullough subsequently moved to projects outside the F1 programme within Aston Martin Performance Technologies, taking on a senior management role that he is now preparing to leave.
The 50-year-old began his career with chassis manufacturer Reynard and has accumulated extensive Formula 1 experience across several teams. Before his long spell with Force India, Racing Point and Aston Martin, he also worked for Sauber and Williams.
His arrival gives Red Bull an experienced figure to oversee its race operations as the team prepares for the eventual departure of one of the most important members of Max Verstappen’s long-standing engineering group. With Hart taking responsibility for Verstappen directly and McCullough managing the wider trackside operation, Red Bull’s post-Lambiase structure is already beginning to take shape well before the McLaren move is completed.
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