Max Verstappen is preparing for a significant change within the Red Bull garage, with Tom Hart set to take over from Gianpiero Lambiase as the four-time world champion’s race engineer. The transition is expected to become one of the key themes as Red Bull prepares for the 2027 season.
Hart has been selected to inherit one of the most important roles around Verstappen after months of speculation surrounding Lambiase’s future. Lambiase has worked alongside the Dutch driver since 2016, when Verstappen moved to the senior Red Bull team.
Tom Hart set to succeed Gianpiero Lambiase at Red Bull
Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase have built one of the most recognisable driver-engineer partnerships in Formula 1.
Since joining forces in 2016, the pair have won four consecutive World Championships between 2021 and 2024, developing a working relationship that has become a defining feature of Red Bull’s success.
Lambiase is expected to leave at the end of his contract in 2027, with a future move to McLaren planned, where he is set to take on the role of Chief Racing Officer.
That move would bring an end to a decade-long collaboration that has accompanied some of the most important achievements of Verstappen’s career.
Who is Tom Hart?
Tom Hart is already part of the Red Bull organisation and is familiar with the team’s internal processes and working methods.
Red Bull’s decision to promote someone from within the structure would provide continuity and reduce the risks associated with placing an external newcomer into such a sensitive role.
The British engineer had previously been linked with Williams, where he could have worked alongside Alexander Albon. Red Bull, however, is believed to have convinced him to remain with the team while preparing him for his future responsibility with Verstappen.
Hart has reportedly been gaining trackside experience
According to reports surrounding the transition, Hart has already carried out trackside work to gain experience ahead of the changeover.
That preparation will be important as he works towards building an effective relationship with Verstappen and understanding both the technical and communication demands involved in working with the Dutch driver.
The role of race engineer extends well beyond simply speaking to the driver over team radio. It requires constant interpretation of technical information, coordination between the driver and engineering group, and rapid decision-making throughout a Grand Prix weekend.
A new phase for the Red Bull garage
Lambiase’s eventual replacement comes during a period of considerable change at Red Bull, with several senior figures having left the team in recent years.
Hart represents a different approach because his promotion would preserve knowledge that already exists inside the organisation and help limit the disruption caused by further personnel changes.
For Verstappen, however, the change will involve much more than simply hearing a different voice over the radio.
The race engineer is one of the most important people in a driver’s working environment, coordinating technical information, interpreting data and helping shape decisions throughout the race weekend.
Verstappen and Hart will need to build a new working relationship
The challenge for Max Verstappen and Tom Hart will be to create a new understanding without losing the continuity that has characterised the partnership with Gianpiero Lambiase.
That will be especially important during a period in which Red Bull will still need to develop its car and maintain its competitiveness against its Formula 1 rivals.
The handover is expected to be gradual, allowing Hart time to become increasingly familiar with Verstappen’s requirements before taking on the role fully.
Even so, the 2027 season is set to mark the beginning of a very different chapter on Verstappen’s side of the Red Bull garage, ending one of the longest and most successful driver-engineer partnerships of the modern Formula 1 era.
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