Verstappen’s future unaffected by Lambiase’s exit — Mekies

Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 will not be influenced by the expected departure of his long-time race engineer, according to Laurent Mekies, as Gianpiero Lambiase prepares to leave Red Bull Racing.

Lambiase, who has worked closely with Max Verstappen since 2016, is set to take up a new role with McLaren by 2028. His exit has raised questions about its impact on Verstappen’s long-term plans.

Mekies dismissed those concerns, insisting the change would not alter Verstappen’s thinking about his future in the sport.

He maintained that the driver remains fully engaged with the team despite recent challenges.

“Obviously, we speak with Max every day. And Max knows motorsport upside down.

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“He’s living and breathing this team. He knows most of these guys. He understands very well the dynamics that can happen.

“The team has been extremely successful and you can’t promote everyone. And some people make some decisions.”

Attention has also focused on Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the current engine regulations, which have changed the balance between internal combustion and electrical power.

The Dutch driver has been open about his concerns over how the new setup affects driving, adding another layer of uncertainty around his future in the sport.

Mekies pointed to upcoming rule adjustments at the Miami Grand Prix as a step towards addressing those issues. The changes are aimed at improving racing conditions and reducing technical limitations.

“It’s going in the right direction. We don’t think it’s changing any pecking order. Nobody pretends it’s going to fix everything, but it’s a good step, and we will certainly support more steps in the future so that the drivers can be flat-out out there.”

Discussions are also ongoing about possible long-term engine changes, including adjustments to power distribution. Andrea Stella has suggested that further technical revisions may be required.

“There should be a consideration for some hardware changes, more for the longer term, such that we can place the operating point of the power unit somewhere where less compromises are required from a chassis point of view or from a driving point of view.

“We think this is possible, and we think that all stakeholders should approach this conversation with the willingness to contribute.”

Red Bull heads into the Miami weekend looking to improve after a slow start to the season. Verstappen currently sits outside the top positions in the standings after three races.

The team is introducing upgrades to its car, which were tested at Silverstone, in a bid to close the gap to rivals such as Mercedes.

Mekies acknowledged progress but admitted the team still has work to do to match its competitors across both engine and chassis performance.

“One thing is sure, we haven’t solved everything,” Mekies said.

“But there is no doubt that progress has been made into giving something more consistent to our drivers.

“How does that make you fit in the classifications? It’s impossible to know. But in terms of us alone on the track, in terms of giving a more consistent product to our drivers, I’m confident we have made some progress. Do we know if we cracked everything? No, we know we didn’t crack everything yet.”

With development ongoing and key changes ahead, Verstappen’s focus remains on performance, even as the team navigates personnel changes and technical challenges.

(BBC)