Max Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase have been working together ever since the Dutchman made his debut with Red Bull in 2016. The two have had a lot of ups and downs together but the one thing that has not changed is the mutual respect they have for one another. Lambiase recently explained in an interview how he will always cherish the “special” relationship he has had with the 26-year-old. The Italian engineer believes that it is unlikely he will ever share such a moment again with anyone else.
In a recent interview with De Telegraaf, Lambiase explained how he would not want to work with any other driver besides Verstappen. “If we no longer work together, I will take on another challenge. It would not be fair to try to emulate with a new driver what I have done with Max since 2016. This is something very special for me and that won’t happen again,” he explained (as quoted by racingnews365.nl).
In the same interview, Lambiase also reacted to Verstappen’s remarks of stepping away from the sport if the Italian was no longer his engineer. In reply, Lambiase acknowledged that it was “nice” to hear Verstappen say the same but he does not believe that by him leaving the Dutchman’s career will be over by any means.
Hence, the one thing that seems certain about the relationship between Lambiase and Verstappen is that they seem inseparable despite all the arguments they have on the team radio. However, that bond has been formed thanks to two important ground rules, according to Lambiase.
“Honesty” is the key to Verstappen and Lambiase’s successful partnership
In the same interview, Gianpiero Lambiase explained how two things have helped him to form a successful relationship with Max Verstappen. The first thing the Italian mentioned was “honesty” and the second was “being yourself“.
“Honesty and being yourself are crucial to working productively and efficiently. If you start wondering whether you should say something because otherwise he might get angry, then you are on a lost cause. You have to be able to trust each other blindly and also keep an eye on the mental and emotional aspects,” Lambiase explained.
While Verstappen and Lambiase do undoubtedly have immense trust in each other, the two also get quite grumpy on the team radio from time to time. According to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, the same is the case because Lambiase and Verstappen’s relationship is very similar to an old married couple.
In an interview earlier this year in June, the British team principal explained how the duo often argue on a daily basis but manage to sort their differences out by the end of the day.
