Max Verstappen has led the Championship ever since his 2021 World Championship win. Winning almost all the races in 2022 and half of the 2023 season. He is a two-time World Champion and has held onto his position while also winning 12 consecutive wins for Red Bull. But behind Verstappen’s success, there is a great engineer. Verstappen’s engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase has been with Red Bull since 2015.
He first started as Daniil Kvyat’s engineer and when Max Verstappen replaced Daniil, he stayed. Before his career as a Red Bull engineer, he started working with Jordan in 2005. It was his first time ever working in Formula 1. He stuck with the team throughout the years even after it turned into Midland Spyker and Force India.
However, in 2008, he went on to be a performance engineer for Giancarlo Fisichella, an Italian racing driver. He guided the Italian driver to his first-ever pole and podium finish in 2009.
After his successful work with Fisichella, he became the race engineer for Vitantonio Liuzzi. But after he left the Formula 1 scene, he took up working with Paul di Resta. For the next three years, he would go on to work with di Resta after which he was replaced by Sergio Perez.
As of now, he is in charge of all the trackside communication and setting up the Formula 1 car. He plays the role of the Head Race Engineer of Red Bull and is always praised by Verstappen for his unswerving and meticulous directions over the radio.
Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase share an “old married couple” bond
Max Verstappen and Lambiase share a close bond. Lambiase is the one who responds to Verstappen on the radio in case of any car-related issues. His way of conveying a message with precision and firmness is what helps the two understand each well. The engineer makes sure that Verstappen is taken care of in all aspects throughout the race. This direct conversation between them with a hint of feistiness in their tones is what helps them get along.
Lambiase was first hired by Sebastian Vettel, it was a long interview with him that got him to be the Head Race Engineer. He got Daniil but then soon after started working with Max Verstappen. Verstappen was known for his aggressiveness when it came to driving but on the contrary, Lambiase had not been any less. His feisty and sassy replies to Verstappen’s aggressive radios were what got them the name of an “old married couple fighting on what to watch on TV” by Horner.
What are Lambiase’s net worth and Red Bull F1 salary?
Lambiase started as a race engineer for Red Bull in 2005. But after their Head Race Engineer stepped down from the position he took “Rocky”, the ex-engineer’s spot. He started working with Verstappen as the head in 2022. His great perseverance in keeping Verstappen in check while also managing to get Red Bull wins is what makes him a great engineer.
His net worth as of now is $475,000. It is considered that his net worth comes from his work as a Formula 1 engineer since 2005. Right now, he bags $144,000 every year with Red Bull. Lambiase is from London, England but his family is said to have Italian relations. There is not much known about Lambiase, since he keeps his life private but he has a woman in his life and is often posting her pictures on his socials.