Max Verstappen is well known for being straightforward and having a no-nonsense approach to everything. As a result, Gianpiero Lambiase, who is the Dutchman’s race engineer, often faces difficult situations with the Red Bull driver.
When asked about honesty and straightforwardness in F1 by Blick, the three-time world champion said, “My good collaboration with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase and other key figures such as Dr. Marko is based on respect and trust.” Following this, Verstappen was asked about the need to share blunt truth even in sensitive situations.
Answering this, he said, “Absolutely. That’s what I demand every day at the race track. And that’s how I am too. What is good is good. And what is bad is bad. This needs to be said straight away and is also part of the recipe for success.” Admittedly, Verstappen’s outburst of emotions is not a rare sight for F1 fans.
For example, during the 2023 US GP in Austin, Verstappen called the brakes of his RB-19, “What a piece of s*it.” He also asked Lambiase to stop talking while he was in the braking zone during the race.
Before that, during the same GP in 2022, the Red Bull driver had a slow pit stop, to which he reacted, “Beautiful, fuc*ing beautiful.” Following this, Lambiase asked Verstappen to race and keep his head down. The defending champion said in reply, “You don’t need to tell me that.”
How is Gianpiero Lambiase’s relationship with Max Verstappen?
Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase share a strong, amicable, and honest relationship. While Verstappen trusts his race engineer, Lambiase has the nerve to control the Dutchman’s outbursts.
Their relationship is good and so close that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has often referred to them as an old married couple. Apart from this, Lambiase also revealed on The Talking Bull show that he regards the Dutchman as his little brother.
Nevertheless, Verstappen has never stepped back to share his emotions on the radio. One good example of this is the 2023 Belgian GP qualification.
This was where the Red Bull driver was unhappy about his Q2 performance. He then ranted out at Lambiase saying, “I don’t give a fu*k about P10.” However, after Verstappen finished the session in P1, he immediately apologized to Lambiase.
