Red Bull F1 restructure team with Max Verstappen’s engineer promoted

Red Bull will restructure their F1 engineering team with Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase promoted to a new role.

Design guru Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will leave the world champions ahead of the 2025 F1 season, with Newey joining Aston Martin and Wheatley moving to Audi.

As a result, team principal Christian Horner has moved to reshape the team behind the scenes, with Lambiase promoted to the new role of Head of Racing.

The engineer, famous for his conversations with three-time world champion Verstappen over team radio, will also continue in his role as the Dutchman’s engineer on race weekends.

In addition, Lambiase will be in charge of Red Bull’s racing activities and all personnel under his remit.

Stephen Knowles, formerly senior strategy engineer, will be the new Head of Sporting Regulations, ensuring compliance with the sport’s governing body, the FIA.

Senior engineer of car engineering, Richard Wolverson, will also take on a new position as Head of Racing Operations.

Horner said in a statement to staff on Wednesday: “We are in the midst of a period of significant change and development at Oracle Red Bull Racing and in light of the challenges to come, we have made the decision to alter the structure of the race team.

Max Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase (left) has been promoted at Red Bull (Getty Images)
Max Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase (left) has been promoted at Red Bull (Getty Images)

“The appointments will serve to give us greater capacity across a number of crucial areas and ultimately will, I believe, make the team more competitive.

“For me, it is especially rewarding to have promoted people from within. We have a huge resource of exceptionally talented people at Oracle Red Bull Racing and I am delighted that we can give them the opportunity to shine in roles that were not previously open.

“It’s a step forward for the team as a whole.”

Red Bull have experienced a dramatic downturn in performance in recent months and are now winless in seven races, stretching back to the Spanish Grand Prix in June.

They have also relinquished top spot in the constructors’ standings to McLaren. Lando Norris trails Verstappen in the drivers’ championship by 59 points ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.