After the announcement that Gianpiero Lambiase will leave his position at Red Bull Racing to join McLaren, a possibility that previously seemed non-existent is beginning to take shape. And that possibility is not just a move within a team, but what could come next.
In the midst of this change, an idea begins to emerge that until recently was not part of the conversation: the possibility that Max Verstappen may also end up following this path.
It is not a confirmed decision, nor is it something that will happen in the near future, but it is a scenario that is starting to make sense in a Formula 1 that no longer seems as stable as it once was. The 2026 season opened a new era with different regulations, with more demanding cars and adaptation processes that have not been the same for everyone. In this context, Verstappen has hinted that the feelings have not always been the best, something that, without defining his future, does open the door to thinking about changes.
The possibility that changes the conversation
Talking about Verstappen at McLaren is not to repeat a rumor, it is to understand a context that is beginning to be built little by little. If his engineer, one of his closest pieces for years, already has his next step defined, the connection between them is no longer just the past and begins to project elsewhere.
And that’s where the possibility takes hold.
Not because it is confirmed, but because it no longer seems far away.
But if that move were to happen, the impact would not only be on Red Bull, it would be, above all, on McLaren.
Today, McLaren maintains one of the most stable dynamics on the grid. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri compete on equal terms, with no defined lead driver, something that has allowed a competitive project to be sustained without visible tensions.
A very different reality to that of Red Bull, where for years the team has clearly revolved around Verstappen as the central figure.
And that is precisely why his possible arrival would not fit naturally.
Because Verstappen is not a driver who shares the limelight. He is a driver who, due to his trajectory and weight within the category, would seek to become the team’s reference.
And this is where the first point of tension appears.
What if Verstappen joins McLaren?
If Verstappen joins McLaren, the team would have to make a decision that it does not need to make today. Norris, who has built his way up within the team and is consolidating himself as a key figure, would hardly accept losing that place on the track. In this scenario, what is now balance could begin to feel like a more marked internal competition.
And that change would not be a minor one.
Because it would go from being a team that works from equality to one that needs to define hierarchies.
In the midst of this scenario, Piastri’s position would also come into play. If the dynamic changes, the possibility could open up for him to seek a leading role in another team. Red Bull, by context, could be a logical option, but not the only one, as his profile would also fit in other projects looking to build for the future.
On the other hand, if Norris is the one who has to leave, the impact would be just as strong. He could become the centrepiece of another team, even take on a leadership role in a team that needs to reorganise, which would again create a domino effect within the grid.
For now, everything remains in the realm of possibility. There are no confirmations or decisions made, but the context has already changed. Lambiase’s departure not only represents an adjustment within Red Bull, it also opens a door that was not there before.
And if at some point that possibility becomes a reality, it will not just be about seeing Max in another car. It will be about understanding which team is willing to change its own structure to accommodate him.
