BREAKING: Lambiase OUT – Verstappen to Race in Austria Without His Race Engineer

Gianpiero Lambiase, the Italian-British engineer and key figure within Red Bull Racing, will miss the team’s home Grand Prix this weekend in Austria.

Max Verstappen is set to tackle the Austrian Grand Prix without the support of his long-time race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. The exclusive news was reported by Dutch journalist Erik van Haren of De Telegraaf.

Lambiase, a crucial pillar within the Red Bull garage and a trusted voice in Verstappen’s ear since 2016, will be absent from the Spielberg round due to “private reasons.” It’s a rare and unprecedented situation in Verstappen’s career at Red Bull, marking the first time he’ll race without “GP” – as Lambiase is widely known in the paddock – at his side.

In his place, Simon Rennie will step in. Rennie, who previously served as Daniel Ricciardo’s race engineer and currently holds a technical role within the team, will take over the radio communications and engineering duties directly with Verstappen throughout the race weekend.

The Verstappen–Lambiase partnership has been a defining element of Red Bull’s recent dominance, playing a major role in the Dutchman’s four consecutive world titles. Their strong technical understanding and personal bond have become a trademark of the Milton Keynes-based team.

Although Lambiase’s absence is expected to be temporary, it will inevitably require Verstappen to adapt his race weekend routines – and it comes at a pivotal event for the Austrian outfit. For now, there are no signs that suggest a prolonged absence from Lambiase.