Max Verstappen has enjoyed plenty of euphoric moments with Gianpiero Lambiase at his side, but the Red Bull driver’s breakthrough at Marina Bay last weekend carried an extra emotional charge, with the Dutchman admitting that sharing the podium with his departing race engineer made the occasion particularly meaningful.
After years of triumphs, tense exchanges over the radio and four world championships together, the prospect of their partnership approaching its final chapter gave Verstappen’s latest victory a poignant undertone.
Red Bull made sure the moment would be remembered, sending Lambiase up to the podium alongside Verstappen after the four-time world champion won the Singapore Grand Prix for the very first time.
The gesture caught the Dutchman by surprise. And as he reflected on the occasion, Verstappen recalled a conversation with his trusted engineer from the previous season that suddenly seemed rather more significant.
‘Don't be silly, we're going to win much more’
Verstappen revealed that Lambiase had already contemplated the possibility of their last shared podium during last year's Las Vegas Grand Prix, long before his impending departure from Red Bull became a defining storyline.
The Briton, who has served as Verstappen's race engineer throughout the Dutchman's Red Bull career, is set to join McLaren as its chief racing officer no later than 2028, when his current contract with the Milton Keynes outfit expires.
An earlier move remains possible, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown openly expressing his hope that Lambiase could arrive in Woking during 2027.
Verstappen, however, had dismissed the idea that their days celebrating together were numbered when the subject first arose.
“Yeah, didn't expect that. I remember he said to me last year in Vegas, 'This might be the last time I'm on the podium.' I said, 'Don't be silly, we're going to win much more,'” the Dutchman explained.
The prediction proved correct in Singapore, where Verstappen delivered a commanding performance to claim his second Grand Prix victory of the season.
Read also: Brown hints Lambiase could join McLaren as early as 2027
But the circumstances surrounding this particular celebration gave it a significance that went beyond the result.
“But I almost jinxed myself there, I guess. And yeah, it was just super nice that they sent him up,” he added.
“Of course, we all know that he is leaving, but I think it was very special to share the podium here on a track that we had not won together. So very nice to see him up there.”
For Verstappen, the occasion was about more than adding another trophy to his collection. Singapore was one of the few remaining major prizes missing from his remarkable record, and finally conquering the demanding street circuit alongside Lambiase offered a fitting new memory for the pair.
A partnership approaching its final chapter
The timing of the celebration was especially poignant given the changes already looming over Verstappen's familiar working environment.
Lambiase's departure was announced in April, ending months of speculation about the future of one of Formula 1's most recognisable driver-engineer partnerships.
His relationship with Verstappen has been central to Red Bull's success, with their often-forthright radio exchanges reflecting a combination of intense competition, mutual trust and an unusually close understanding.
Tom Hart is set to take over as Verstappen's race engineer in 2027, although the transition is expected to begin earlier, potentially as soon as next week’s United States Grand Prix in Austin.
For Lambiase, who has been alongside Verstappen through the defining victories of his career, the chance to stand beside him on a Singapore podium that had long eluded them was a fitting reward.
Whether it was their last such celebration or simply another memorable chapter before the inevitable goodbye, Verstappen made clear that this one meant something different.
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