Red Bull Racing’s restructuring has taken a dramatic turn with German media reports suggesting that the Formula 1 team has secured replacements for two of its most influential figures – Helmut Marko and Gianpiero Lambias. The change comes as Red Bull grapples with a wave of high-profile departures that threaten to reshape the foundations of the Milton Keynes powerhouse.
Gianpiero Lambiez, Max Verstappen’s trusted race engineer and a key architect of Red Bull’s recent successes, is reportedly set for a shock move to McLaren in 2028, where he will take up the role of chief racing officer. The development is a significant blow for Red Bull following the dismissal of Christian Horner last year and the subsequent exits of technical mastermind Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. The legendary Helmut Marko, who has been instrumental in Red Bull’s talent pipeline since 2005, is also set to retire at the end of the 2025 season.
Red Bull’s reaction to these departures has been swift. Following last week’s revelations, Tom Hart has been identified as Lambias’ successor. Hart, who was initially expected to join Williams as Alex Albon’s race engineer next year, is now set to step into Verstappen’s garage at Red Bull. Dutch media report that Red Bull team principal Laurent Mackies played a key role in convincing Hart to remain with the team, thwarting Williams’ plans to secure his expertise.
The search for an alternative to Marco has also intensified. Motorsport-Total reports that Red Bull is targeting Gwen Lagrue, head of Mercedes’ young driver program, as its next talent scout. Lagrue has an impressive track record, notably being credited with discovering prodigy Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads the junior championships. This potential move reflects Marko’s own legacy of finding and developing world champions, including Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.
Rumors of Lagrue’s possible move to Red Bull have not gone unnoticed in the paddock. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff addressed the speculation by outlining ongoing discussions with Lagrue about his future: “We are discussing the future with Gwen, but nothing has been agreed or decided yet. Gwen has built a fantastic team, we are about seven, eight or nine people running the junior program with a handful of juniors. Bradley (Lord) is the deputy principal of “With the step up, these things need to be ready now. We want to do it together, Gwen.”
As Red Bull Racing goes through this period of profound change, the recruitment of Hart and the potential signing of Lagrue signals a bold new era for the team. These moves are designed to ensure continuity in Verstappen’s camp and safeguard the team’s future talent pipeline, mirroring the legacy built by Marko. The Formula 1 world will be watching closely as Red Bull’s ambitious rebuild is revealed.
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