The Early Exit Plan
McLaren CEO Zak Brown says he expects race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to leave Red Bull for Woking in 2027. This timeline is one year sooner than the team’s official statement promised. The announcement came on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, right after the chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Brown told Sky Sports he feels positive about the move happening next year. He said, “I’m optimistic we’ll see him in papaya at some point next year.” This shifts the goalposts for a key hire that was supposed to wait until 2028.
The team had previously stated a hard deadline for the switch. “The team look forward to welcoming GianPiero Lambiase when his existing contract ends, no later than 2028,” their official statement read, according to Motorsport.com. Now, the gap between that promise and Brown’s new hope has closed fast. Fans who tracked the April announcement might think the timeline is broken. It is not broken, just accelerated. Brown sees no reason to wait if the deal can close sooner.
Why Speed Matters
Lambiase brings over ten years of experience with four-time champion Max Verstappen. He has handled countless tough calls during grueling races. McLaren wants this specific skill set to help their own drivers win titles. The current team principal, Andrea Stella, will get more focus on his main job if Lambiase arrives early. Stella currently manages race team duties alongside his role as chief. A new hire takes that weight off his shoulders.
Brown sees this as a major win for the team’s culture. He notes that the ability to secure top talent proves their vision works. The move also supports other big names like Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay. These hires show the team is serious about building a championship-winning squad. Brown believes the culture under him and Stella attracts the best people. He sees the early arrival as a sign that McLaren is moving fast to dominate.
Pace Check After Malaysia
The timing of this update is not random. It comes right after a strange race where McLaren struggled in Malaysia. Team principal Andrea Stella refused to panic about the performance drop. He noted that the track surface in Sepang created misleading data. Stella admitted that some rivals took bigger steps with their cars. He said, “We don’t see any anomaly in our data, but we have to acknowledge that potentially some competitors have developed their car with bigger steps than we did.”
Stella pointed to Ferrari as a clear example of this sudden jump. He highlighted Lewis Hamilton’s strong recovery drive during the race. Stella noted, “And also here Ferrari, they were very very strong.” He believes the Bahrain race was an outlier due to extreme track conditions. The team now looks to the Singapore Grand Prix for the true test. They need to see if their car can match the pace of the leaders on a street circuit.
The focus now shifts to how the team handles the rest of the season. They have more upgrades planned for the final stretch. The data from Singapore will tell them if they are ready to fight. Lambiase’s arrival could be the final piece needed to solve the puzzle. Brown remains confident about the future of the team. He also expressed excitement about the current work at the factory. He said, “Very excited with everything that we’ve got going on at the factory.”
The drivers are also performing well according to the boss. Brown believes the current form of the drivers is a good sign. The team hopes to use this momentum to secure another championship. The early arrival of Lambiase fits into this larger plan for success. It shows the team is willing to act fast when an opportunity appears.
Final Thoughts
The shift from a 2028 target to a 2027 start changes the narrative for McLaren. It shows the team is not waiting for contracts to expire naturally. They are pushing to get their best assets on board as soon as possible. This aggressive approach matches the high stakes of the current season. With rivals like Ferrari showing strong speed, every advantage counts. The team will watch the Singapore race closely to see if their strategy pays off.
