The announcement of engineer Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure to McLaren, even if it will not happen before 2028, raises the question of Max Verstappen’s short-term future at Red Bull: stop or continue?
Read more Priority to Formula 2 for Colton Herta, who skips the Indy 500: a significant choice
This situation clearly feeds the dilemma surrounding the future of Max Verstappen, and everything suggests that it could bring him closer to a radical decision: taking a sabbatical year.
At 28, the Dutchman is still well within the window to afford a break, especially if we remember that Alain Prost had himself taken a year off in 1992… at 37. The precedent exists, and it is even prestigious.
Broken synergy
But here, the context is very different. The driver–engineer dynamic, essential in modern Formula 1, is being disrupted for Verstappen. The loss of his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase represents much more than a simple organizational change: it is a break in an ultra-high-performance duo, built over several years and four world titles.
In disciplines like Formula E, this link is even more critical, notably with energy management (lift and coast, battery deployment), which requires an almost instinctive understanding between driver and engineer. Recreating this synergy in F1, in a complex technical context and in the midst of regulatory evolution, will take time, a factor that Verstappen might not want to endure.
Read more Ferrari is preparing engine upgrades for the summer
Verstappen as an outsider
Added to this is another key element: Verstappen clearly does not appreciate his new outsider status. Accustomed to dominating, he is now evolving in a transition phase at Red Bull Racing, with a less competitive car and reference points that are disappearing. The new rules, heavily focused on energy management, also seem to have dampened his driving pleasure.
In this context, the central question becomes almost philosophical: will he find pleasure again before having to make a major decision for the rest of his career? If the answer is no, a break could become a credible option, enhanced by a GT3 program with his own team.
The fact that he was recently spotted at the Circuit Paul Ricard (photo above), observing the GT World Challenge Europe paddock — where Lance Stroll is notably racing this weekend — shows that he is already exploring other horizons. This is not insignificant.
Implicitly, Verstappen seems to be evaluating all options: staying and rebuilding, changing environments, or taking a step back. And in any case, he knows that a return to Formula 1 after a break would remain possible, but only if he still has the desire.
Read more Esteban Ocon is not a fan of the ‘Overtake’ mode: those who want to move forward go backwards!