Max Verstappen appoints Tom Hart as Red Bull race engineer

Max Verstappen confirmed that Tom Hart will succeed Gianpiero Lambiase as his race engineer at Red Bull Racing. The change ends one of the most recognized driver‑engineer partnerships on the grid. Lambiase, who has worked with Verstappen since his arrival at the team, will depart for a role at McLaren, expected no later than 2028.

Hart, a longtime performance engineer for Verstappen, had been linked with a move to Williams but chose to stay. Verstappen said the new engineer must not be “too much of a nerd,” emphasizing the need for broader race insight beyond pure data analysis. The exact date of Hart’s transition has not been set, and Lambiase will continue in his current role until the handover is finalized.