Max Verstappen has revealed that he encouraged Red Bull race engineer GianPiero Lambiase to take up a \u201cfantastic offer\u201d from McLaren after being asked for his \u201capproval.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLaren announced the signing of the highly respected Lambiase last week after almost a decade as Verstappen\u2019s race engineer.<\/p>\n
Max Verstappen: GP Lambiase \u2018asked for my approval\u2019 after McLaren offer<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n Lambiase will arrive at Woking \u2018no later\u2019 than 2028, the year his current Red Bull contract is due to expire, in the role of chief racing officer.<\/p>\n PlanetF1.com understands that McLaren fought off competition to secure the services of Lambiase, who was also approached over a senior role with the Aston Martin team<\/a>.<\/p>\n Verstappen and Lambiase have enjoyed enormous success since working together for the first time at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, where an 18-year-old Verstappen won on his Red Bull debut.<\/p>\n The Dutchman went on to claim four consecutive world championships with Lambiase by his side between 2021 and 2024.<\/p>\n Go deeper: GianPiero Lambiase swaps Red Bull for McLaren<\/p>\n GianPiero Lambiase McLaren move raises fresh questions over Max Verstappen\u2019s Red Bull future<\/a><\/p>\n Ranked: Five memorable radio exchanges between Max Verstappen and GianPiero Lambiase<\/a><\/p>\n Addressing Lambiase\u2019s exit for the first time on stage at an event organised by Viaplay, Verstappen revealed that his race engineer \u201casked me for my approval\u201d before accepting McLaren\u2019s offer.<\/p>\n Verstappen said: \u201cHe told me what kind of offer he\u2019d received. I said: \u2018You\u2019d be daft not to take it.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve already achieved everything together and then he gets such a fantastic offer, especially with his family in mind and the security it would bring him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe asked me for my approval, so to speak, and I told him he absolutely had to go for it.<\/p>\n \u201cHe really wanted to hear that from me.\u201d<\/p>\n Verstappen\u2019s comments come seven days after his father, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, revealed that the driver\u2019s camp had been aware of Lambiase\u2019s impending switch to McLaren<\/a> for some time.<\/p>\n Verstappen Sr told RaceXpress: \u201cWe\u2019ve known about it for a while and we also knew when it was going to happen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got another year and a half or two years to work with him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a huge opportunity for him and we understand that. We\u2019ve also told him: you have to go for it and grab it with both hands.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s up to Red Bull to find his replacement. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n Verstappen has previously being quoted as saying that he would \u201cstop too\u201d if his working relationship with Lambiase ever came to an end.<\/p>\n Lambiase\u2019s departure comes at a time Verstappen has renewed his threats to quit F1 over his unhappiness with the new rules for the F1 2026 season.<\/p>\n However, Verstappen Sr hinted that his son will \u201cjust carry on\u201d when Lambiase makes the move to McLaren.<\/p>\n Put to him that his son had previously warned that Lambiase\u2019s departure would see him walk away too, Verstappen Sr added: \u201cI think things have changed.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially after four championships, you\u2019ve achieved a lot together.<\/p>\n \u201cThe final decision is up to Max, but I think he\u2019ll just carry on.\u201d<\/p>\n Verstappen will be back behind the wheel for the Nurburgring 24-hour qualifiers this weekend ahead of his debut in the endurance classic next month.<\/p>\n The 28-year-old will split driving duties with Lucas Auer in a Red Bull-branded Mercedes-AMG GT3 car at the Nurburgring, with the qualifiers set to see Verstappen drive the iconic Nordschleife at night for the first time.<\/p>\n The qualifiers had originally been set to clash with the cancelled Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n