What is the secret behind the successful collaboration between Max Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase? Rob Smedley, former engineer at Williams, Ferrari, and Jordan, has the answer. “They both trust each other completely,” explains the Brit.
Max Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase have been working together since the Dutchman joined Red Bull. The two have since provided numerous memorable on-board radio messages. The collaboration has also borne fruit, as Verstappen has now won four world titles. Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley knows the key to this success.
“I love Gianpiero (Lambiase, ed.), he’s such a great guy,” Smedley begins his praise for the engineer in the Red Flags podcast. The former Ferrari engineer not only sees similarities between his compatriot and himself, but also knows why the collaboration with Verstappen is so successful.”I remember Gary Anderson (race car designer) always used a term when I was just starting out. ‘You have to piss in each other’s pocket, right?'” explains Smedley. “It doesn’t matter who you are, there’s no hierarchy here. You’re both trying to get the best out of it. It’s also a pressure cooker, you need to have a completely open relationship.”
Trust
Max Verstappen and Lambiase also don’t hold back during the heat of the battle, which according to Smedley is the key to success. “GP (Lambiase) tells him how it is and Max fires back. And the way Gianpiero behaves on the radio is probably just a reflection of their real relationship. They have a good relationship, one that works. They both fully trust each other. If you have that, you can talk to each other as much as you want, right?” concludes Smedley.
