After winning his first title with Red Bull in 2021, Max Verstappen stated categorically that he would leave the sport if he was no longer able to work with Gianpiero Lambiase as his race engineer.

At the eime the Ducth ace told Ziggo Sport at the time: “I have said to GP, I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too. Of course, we can be pretty strict with each other sometimes, but I want that too. He has to tell me when I'm being a jerk, and I have to tell him. I always told him that.”

Where is Lambiase heading in 2027? At McLaren.

Let’s start looking at the relentless brain drain at Red Bull, the big hitters that have left the team. Christian Horner gone of course. Before that Rob Marshall, who joined McLaren in January 2024 as the technical architect of the team you see today. Will Courtenay, the strategy maestro, joined McLaren in January 2026.

And now add to that group Lambiase, Verstappen’s long time race engineer.

Now, you might argue that Adrian Newey was a better catch for Aston Martin, but I’m going to suggest differently, because Rob Marshall has already shown what he’s done in his position with the team. Courtenay is one of the key players, a quarterback for the team.

Lambiase has been a loyal servant not only to Verstappen, but to Red Bull, as he effectively is far more than a race engineer to Max Verstappen. And, of course, that’s what perhaps attracted Zak Brown’s eye and led to a deal with him, which sees him joining the Woking outfit at the end of next year.

What happens to Max Verstappen after Red Bull?

For Verstappen, whose long term deal ends at the end of 2028, I’m going to hazard a guess and bank on old school loyalty and suggest that the following scenario unfolds in the years to come.

Lambiase joins McLaren, probably as team principal, with Andrea Stella either moved upwards in the McLaren hierarchy between Lambiase and Brown, or the Italian goes off to Ferrari. But that's another story altogther.

At the end of the 2028 season, Verstappen’s contract ends, which gives Lambiase enough time to set up house at McLaren to Verstappen’s specs, or at least offer his mate insight into the decision he will make on his future and the McLaren team.

At the same time, Zak Brown is building a racing organisation with McLaren that fits perfectly into Verstappen’s long term timeline. Realistically if all goes well, I expect Max to be in Formula 1 for at least another decade.

During that period, and thereafter, when he decides to quit F1, I can imagine him trying out the WEC Hypercars. I could see him having a go at IndyCar. Maybe not ovals, but who knows? Street circuits, certainly.

Max does not like ovals he has said, but people change. Maybe he buys into the Triple Crown dream, like the McLaren team. Furthermore, if calendars align, it would not be an outrageous prediction that, with McLaren, he’d be tempted to go for it, despite his dislike of turning left all the time.

Max Verstappen and McLaren could be the ultimate brand

After all, the Dutch ace has not been affiliated with one specific manufacturer, thus picking McLaren as his first manufacturer would be a massive coup for Brown and his team.

Of course, there will be huge resistance from Ford. I imagine they too know Verstappen’s value. They also have a broad spectrum of racing programmes which fit into that same timeline of Max’s future.

The same could be said for Ferrari and Mercedes. But none of them have targeted the Triple Crown the way Brown has for McLaren.

While right now one could argue Ford are in the front row seats. They have Max. They love Max. But if they are serious, they will buy Red Bull, convince them to stay on as title sponsors, and run the team themselves, whereupon Verstappen may be swayed.

But where the team is now, in its current state, I cannot see him hanging around beyond his contract ending. I imagine that Verstappen will wait until 2027 to make his decision for where he will be in 2028.

It won’t take long next year for Verstappen to establish the pecking order and see the difference Lambiase will make to the team.

If I had to put $100 on where Max will end up in 2028, I’m going to say McLaren, for the abovementioned reasons, the cherry being the synergy with papaya Brown’s team and the orange of Max’s army. Think merch!

It’s a match made in heaven. As a fanboy of both driver and team, I hope my precition comes true!