Initially dismissed by Red Bull sporting director Helmut Marko, the allegation has since taken a new turn, sparking discussions within the team about Verstappen’s pre-race activities. Verstappen’s recent decision to avoid late-night sim races ahead of a Grand Prix provides compelling evidence to support these internal discussions.
A resurfaced clip of Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, highlights his “greatest fear” – that if the team stopped winning, Verstappen’s frustration would boil over on the team radio. Even during Red Bull’s period of dominance, Verstappen was known to openly express his feelings to Lambiase.
Although Lambiase said this in jest, he hinted that the day they stopped winning would be a day of real concern.
Red Bull’s recent decline in dominance was evident during the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Verstappen looking particularly frustrated. Lambiase also appeared exasperated, marking a rare occasion when both appeared to be at their wit’s end. The tension echoed a conversation earlier in the season on Red Bull’s in-house podcast, where Lambiase voiced his concerns.
“My biggest fear is the moment we have more competition and we don’t win every race, because you see how he’s treating me at the moment and he’s winning every race,” Lambiase said alongside Verstappen.
“I’m really not looking forward to that!”
Verstappen replied that they had been through such seasons before and would get through it, although current circumstances would suggest otherwise. He went on to elaborate on their relationship, emphasising their mutual respect despite their intense, sometimes fiery exchanges.
“Obviously respect is very important. Sometimes people don’t really understand what kind of relationship you have. For example, when we’re on the radio and we sound a bit upset or angry, they think we’re in a fight, but we’re not. It’s just that we want the best out there.”
Verstappen admitted that his raised voice on the radio was the result of adrenaline and a desire to perform at his best.
He described how their fiery conversations were a way of achieving optimal results and underlined the importance of respect in their dynamic.
“But for me, that’s the way I like to approach our weekend, our race, because if I’m upset or whatever or not happy with a certain situation and he’s like ‘copy that’ or ‘thank you for your message’ [then I’d think] what’s going on?”
Verstappen insists that both he and Lambiase are committed to achieving the best possible results. Their intense exchange, he believes, is necessary to maintain high performance, with respect being a crucial element in their professional relationship.
