"This day just keeps getting worse": Fans react as rumors of a split between Max Verstappen and his race engineer emerge

F1 fans online have shared their reaction to rumors of a split between Max Verstappen and his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, come 2026. Most users were left devastated by the idea that one of the most dominant driver-engineer pairings on the grid could be breaking up soon.

Motorsport.com has reported that Gianpiero Lambiase could be moving into a more senior role within the Red Bull Racing setup from 2026 onwards, as the Austrian team is set to undergo drastic changes behind the scenes over the winter. The engineer's role for next year is set to be decided over the winter, with a change possibly breaking up his partnership with Max Verstappen.

F1 fans online have shared their views on this potential move, with many deflated by the possibility of seeing Verstappen and Lambiase not working together anymore.

"This day just keeps getting worse," said one fan.

"He was crying cause he wanted his final year to be a win. please not this script," noted another user.

"Oh bless him. Maybe that’s why he was crying on the pitwall," said yet another fan.

Here are some more reactions:

"It would be one of the most important losses, he knows Max perfectly, years of experience, I hope not," said another user.

"I’m hoping everything works out well for GP. Family comes before everything and hopefully they sort it out over time," stated another fan.

"So next year Max will be driving in the midfield car (engine being a**) without GP... Well that's just great. Hope he doesn't retire next year," said another user.

Following the 2025 season finale, team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies hinted at potential changes within the management of Red Bull Racing for the upcoming year. Helmut Marko also admitted that the outfit could have a different look in 2026, with the possibility of even he himself moving away after 20 years at the team. Isack Hadjar is also set to join Max Verstappen as the driver lineup undergoes another shuffle at Milton Keynes.

Max Verstappen lauds Gianpiero Lambiase after "emotional year"

Max Verstappen with Gianpiero Lambiase at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen extended his support to Gianpiero Lambiase after the Abu Dhabi GP, revealing that the 2025 season had been an emotional ride for the Briton. Lambiase was visibly moved to tears on the Red Bull pit wall after the conclusion of the race on Sunday.

Speaking about Lambiase after the race, Verstappen stated:

"It’s been an emotional year. Forget about the results this year. I also don’t want to go too much into detail, but it’s been tough."

"But I’m very happy to be able to work with someone that passionate. Of course, he is my race engineer, but I see him as my friend. We have lived through so many emotional things together and fantastic achievements."

Lambiase was not present at both the Austrian GP and Belgian GP this year due to personal circumstances. It remains to be seen whether these private reasons could also be a driving factor behind Lambiase's role switch at Red Bull, or the 45-year-old is simply receiving a promotion and will remain trackside in a more senior role.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar