The collaboration between Max Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is one for the history books. With the voice of the British-Italian Lambiase in his ear, the Dutchman secured four consecutive world titles, placing him among the greatest drivers of all time. Much has been said and written about the seemingly flawless way Verstappen and Lambiase operate. The latter discusses the special bond the duo maintains.
As a race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase knows exactly how to support Max Verstappen from the pit wall; he shares only relevant information and discusses potential strategies as effectively as possible. After years of successful collaboration, Lambiase has become a trusted confidant and a ‘good friend’ of the 27-year-old driver.
‘F1 Should Be Grateful to Him’
“On the track, Max (Verstappen) is often portrayed as the villain of the paddock, but off it, he’s actually the exact opposite,” says Lambiase. “He’s genuine, gentle, and an incredibly likable guy. I consider him a good friend.” At the same time, he sees Verstappen as the talent of the current generation of Formula 1 drivers. “In the last few years, he’s followed in the footsteps of Schumacher and Hamilton – that’s had an impact in the paddock. You see how the rookies look up to him and want to achieve what he’s achieved. Formula 1 should be grateful to him for that,” Lambiase emphasized.
From the outside, the collaboration between Verstappen and Lambiase seems almost perfect. However, the 44-year-old engineer admitted that Max’s ‘stubbornness’ sometimes gets in the way. “He always thinks he knows better, so that can be quite a technical challenge,” he confessed. “Then I try to get under his skin and into his head. In the end, I’ve learned to accept that even if he refuses to take your advice, he does take in all the information. He’ll never admit it, but in the end, he does what you’ve asked him to do,” Lambiase concluded with a grin.
