F1 NATION: What does Lambiase’s Red Bull exit mean for Verstappen, and can McLaren catch Mercedes in 2026?

It was recently confirmed that Max Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will leave Red Bull in 2028 and join McLaren as the papaya team’s Chief Racing Officer.

Following the news, F1 Nation host Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe as they share their reactions to the move.

What does Lambiase’s departure mean for Red Bull? How will it affect Verstappen’s future at the team? And what will GP bring to McLaren?

Plus, the guys are joined by McLaren’s Technical Director of Performance, Mark Temple, who says Mercedes are 'beatable' in 2026 and explains the upgrade work being done at the factory before the Miami Grand Prix.

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