It comes just days after his son, Max Verstappen—the Red Bull star and four-time world champion—revealed that his race engineer had received what he described as a “fantastic offer” from McLaren.
Jos Verstappen has now claimed that McLaren are prepared to offer GianPiero Lambiase “a lot of money” in an effort to lure him away.
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McLaren confirmed earlier this month that they have secured the signing of GianPiero Lambiase, the long-time race engineer of Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
The 45-year-old is set to join McLaren no later than 2028, once his current contract with Red Bull expires. He will take on the role of chief racing officer, reporting directly to team principal Andrea Stella.
Lambiase’s move is seen as a significant win for McLaren, especially given that he was also targeted for a senior position by Aston Martin.
According to reports from Stella praised the signing as “the icing on the cake,” suggesting it perfectly complements a team that already has strong foundations. He also noted that McLaren’s growing reputation and recent championship success have made it increasingly attractive to top-tier talent, ultimately helping convince Lambiase to make the switch.
Jos Verstappen revealed that he and his son encouraged GianPiero Lambiase to seize the opportunity to join McLaren, urging him to “go for it and grab it with both hands.”
In a social media response, Verstappen Sr also hinted that financial incentives played a key role in the move. Replying to a suggestion that Andrea Stella understood exactly why Lambiase made the switch, he wrote that it was “because they’re offering him a lot of money.”
His comments followed similar remarks from his son, Max Verstappen, who described the offer as “fantastic” and revealed that Lambiase had even sought his approval before making the decision. Verstappen explained that, given everything they had already achieved together at Red Bull, it made complete sense for Lambiase to accept a deal that offered long-term security for his family.
Speaking at a recent event, Verstappen admitted he told Lambiase he would be “daft not to take it,” adding that the engineer wanted reassurance before committing to the move.
Meanwhile, Stella dismissed speculation that Lambiase is being lined up as his successor at McLaren, amid rumors linking him with a return to Ferrari. The Italian, who previously enjoyed title success with Ferrari alongside drivers like Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, laughed off reports of a pre-contract agreement, saying they “made me smile.”
However, reports from suggest that Lambiase could eventually be positioned as a future team principal at McLaren, with sources indicating that such a pathway may have been part of the offer that convinced him to leave Red Bull.