Red Bull names Verstappen’s next race engineer - report
Hart had been due to join Williams
Red Bull has reportedly decided who will replace Gianpiero Lambiase as Max Verstappen’s race engineer, even as speculation about the Dutchman’s own future refuses to disappear.
According to De Telegraaf, long-time performance engineer Tom Hart has been chosen to succeed Lambiase, who is set to leave for McLaren no later than 2028.
The report said Hart had been due to join Williams after this season before new team boss Laurent Mekies convinced him to remain at Red Bull.
Hart is expected to take over from the start of 2027, although De Telegraaf believes he could begin replacing Lambiase during selected race weekends later this season to ease the transition.
Even so, Verstappen continues to be linked with rival teams.
Asked again about the McLaren rumours by RTBF at Spa, the four-time world champion gave little away. "I’m living in the moment," he said.
"I’m working with the team to understand the issues. We’ll see what I do in due course. I’m very relaxed.
"I’m a very loyal person and the team is like a second family to me. It’s very important to me."
McLaren boss Andrea Stella was also asked about the ongoing speculation.
"To make it happen, McLaren would have to field a third car," he said. "So you don’t need to discuss this with me.
"This issue needs to be resolved at a higher political level. And when the conditions are met, we will, of course, consider this possibility."
Verstappen qualified a strong P2 at Spa, but admitted the result owed much to a strategic double slipstream from teammate Isack Hadjar.
"We discussed it with the team at the start of the weekend," Verstappen told Viaplay.
"I didn’t ask for anything, but the team said, because he has to start at the back anyway: ’What do you think when we try in Q3?’
"I said, ’I’m not going to ask for it, but if you guys offer it, I’m fine with it.’"
Asked where he would have qualified without the tow, Verstappen replied: "I guess whatever three tenths puts me back. P6 or something.
"P7. I have no idea. I haven’t seen the gaps, but it was very close behind me, from P2 all the way to P6, I think."
Hadjar joked afterwards that he expected little in return, even though Red Bull has reportedly promised to re-pay the favour.
"With money?" he laughed. "No, I don’t care. I did my job."