Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will enter the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix without his trusted race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, marking a significant change for the reigning four-time Formula 1 world champion. The Verstappen-Lambiase partnership, which began in 2016, is well known in the racing community and has played a major role in Verstappen’s recent dominance.
Lambiase, the Anglo-Italian engineer, has supported Verstappen since the Dutch driver started with the Austrian team in Spain, becoming a crucial figure in his racing achievements. However, as reported by de Telegraaf, Lambiase will be absent from the Belgian Grand Prix weekend due to personal reasons. This absence follows a similar situation at the Austrian Grand Prix last month, making it the second time in three events that Verstappen will race without his usual engineer.
To fill in, Simon Rennie, who was formerly Daniel Ricciardo’s race engineer with Red Bull in Milton Keynes, will step in. Verstappen will be looking for better results in Spa after his recent retirement in Spielberg, hoping that Rennie can help guide him to a more successful race this weekend. It remains uncertain whether Lambiase will return for the Hungarian Grand Prix next week or rejoin the team after the summer break.
Verstappen Comments on Future with Red Bull Amid Leadership Changes
In a recent interview, Verstappen addressed speculation about his future with Red Bull following the dismissal of Christian Horner as team principal and CEO. The 27-year-old maintained that Horner’s exit will not influence his commitment to the team moving forward.
“I don’t think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really. The last one and a half years have not been what we want to be. Now we try and be more competitive this year, a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations.”
Verstappen also shared his impressions after meeting with Red Bull’s new team principal Laurent Mekies, praising Mekies’ motivation and expertise.
“Of course I already had quite a few meetings with Laurent as well. The last two weeks have been quite intense for him to jump in. We’ll keep that between ourselves, of course, but he’s incredibly motivated, and I like that.
“You can see the fire. Of course, it’s new in the role, but it’s exciting. He’s a very nice guy, first of all, very clever guy. He’s been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well. And I think that can be helpful.”
Verstappen’s Performance History and Challenge at Spa
Max Verstappen has demonstrated exceptional speed at Spa-Francorchamps, securing the fastest qualifying time for the past four years. Despite this, he has faced setbacks due to engine penalties that have prevented him from starting in pole position during the last three seasons. These penalties contributed to his failure to finish at the Austrian Grand Prix recently, highlighting the challenges he faces as he aims to maintain his competitive edge in the 2025 season.
As the Belgian Grand Prix approaches, Verstappen and the Red Bull team face a pivotal weekend, balancing engineering changes with their pursuit of championship points on one of the sport’s most demanding circuits. How quickly Lambiase returns could influence Verstappen’s preparation and performance moving forward, especially with the summer break and the closely scheduled Hungarian Grand Prix following soon after.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Max Verstappen apologize?
A. Christian Horner shared that Max Verstappen said sorry to the Red Bull team after his crash with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix. Because of this incident, Verstappen fell from fifth to tenth place at the finish line due to a 10-second penalty.
Q. What is Max Verstappen’s baby gender?
A. On May 2, 27-year-old Verstappen shared two pictures of his baby girl on Instagram. He mentioned her name, Lily, in the caption. “Welcome to the world, sweet Lily,” he wrote.
Q. Did Max Verstappen have a baby?
A. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 world champion, came to the Miami Grand Prix on Friday as a new dad. He and his partner, Kelly Piquet, shared joyfully that they had a baby girl. They announced her arrival by posting “Welcome to the world, sweet Lily” on Instagram.
Q. Who is Max Verstappen’s baby daughter?
A. Max Verstappen, a Formula One driver who is 27 years old, just became a father. He and his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Lily. They shared this joyful news with a joint post on Instagram.