Max Verstappen retirement update given as father makes revealing comment on race engineer exit

Jos Verstappen has given his verdict on whether son Max Verstappen will retire from Formula 1 after the departure of his long-serving race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Red Bull Racing announced on Thursday that Lambiase, who has been Verstappen's race engineer since he joined the team in 2016, would be leaving to join McLaren as their Chief Racing Officer.

An exact departure date has not been agreed or announced, with both Red Bull and McLaren giving separate statements.

Red Bull say he will leave in 2028, when his contract expires, but McLaren state that he will start working with them 'no later than 2028'.

Lambiase's exit is the latest in a series of high-profile departures from Red Bull over the past 12 months - a list which includes team principal Christian Horner, chief engineering officer Rob Marshall and advisor Helmut Marko.

Verstappen's number two mechanic, Ole Schack, handed in his resignation last month after nearly 22 years with the team, according to PlanetF1.

But the loss of Lambiase, in particular, has further fuelled concerns that Verstappen could quit Formula 1 in the near future.

Gianpiero Lambiase (pictured with Max Verstappen) is leaving Red Bull (Image: Getty)

He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Jennie Gow that he was considering his future following the Japanese Grand Prix, due to the new regulations for 2026 that place significant reliance on battery deployment and harvesting.

Speaking to Dutch outlet RaceXpress, Verstappen senior revealed he held discussions around Lambiase's exit - and notably gave his verdict on whether his son will continue in F1 for the long-term.

"We knew for a while [about Lambiase] and we also knew when it was going to happen," Jos stated. "We have another year and a half to two years to work with him.

"It's a huge opportunity for him, so we understand. We also told him to do it and grab it with both hands.

"Beyond that, it's up to Red Bull to replace him. We will see.

"I think things have changed," he said of four-time world champion Verstappen. "Certainly, after four championships you have achieved a lot together.

"But that is up to Max. However, I think he will just continue."