In recent years, Max Verstappen has emerged as one of Formula One’s brightest talents, displaying a relentless drive to win and challenging the dominance of established teams and drivers. His competitive nature often leads to tense moments, both on and off the track. Everybody is aware that the Red Bull driver is a hothead and does not hold back in speaking his mind, which often lands him in hot waters.
Max Verstappen joined Red Bull in 2016 when he replaced Daniil Kvyat. Since then, Gianpiero Lambiase has been his race engineer. Over the years, the duo has developed a strong bond which reflects in the Dutchman’s performance on the track. Lambiase is someone who is believed to keep Verstappen grounded despite immense success on the track. However, a recent heated conversation between the two painted a whole different picture of their relationship.
Max Verstappen’s Race Engineer Snaps Back At The Red Bull Driver For Questioning Setup Strategy
During the recently concluded Miami Grand Prix, an awkward exchange between Max Verstappen and his race engineer caught the fans’ attention. The Dutchman came home to win the GP against all odds, as he had to start the race from P9 due to a disappointing qualifying session. However, the Red Bull youngster did not look much pleased with the tyre setup strategy. As he commenced the race from the back of the grid, Red Bull used hard tyres on Verstappen’s RB19 so that he could go long enough to overtake his competitors without having to pit early. But, the Dutchman seemed to disagree. During the race, Max Verstappen sent a message to his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, via team radio that he felt the team had messed up his setup strategy.
However, the race engineer did not pay any heed to it and instantly snapped back, urging Max to focus on driving and leave the rest to the team. The heated convo raised many eyebrows and gave rise to rumors of tensions between the duo. However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner jumped in to clarify the rumors. He said that Lambiase is honest and not afraid to speak what’s on his mind. Moreover, whatever happened during the race was simply an example of the intense dynamic the duo shares. Both of them are passionate about winning the race, and sometimes emotions take over in the heat of the moment. Horner claimed that there’s no bad blood, and the duo still shares the same level of trust and mutual respect.
“We Have A Great Working Relationship,” Verstappen Denies Tensions With Race Engineer
After Christian Horner, Max Verstappen has himself jumped in to do some damage control. After rumors of friction between him and his race engineer went viral, the Dutchman shared insights into their relationship. Max said Gianpiero Lambiase, his race engineer is extremely straightforward and honest with him, which he adores. The Red Bull needs someone to tell him right up to his face when he screws up, and he believes Lambiase is the perfect man for the job.
Verstappen further added he and Lambiase had built a strong working relationship over the years. Even when people think they are angry, they are actually not. Also, the relationship is so strong that they don’t even feel the need to apologize after a heated argument. Max and his race engineer want to push each other to do better and want to stay on their toes during the whole race to keep the adrenaline going. Overall, the Red Bull boss and driver cleared the air and claimed all is well in the camp.
