Tom Hart to engineer Max Verstappen in Austin as Lambiase begins Red Bull handover

Max Verstappen will have a new voice on his radio at this weekend's United States Grand Prix. Tom Hart, a Red Bull engineer who has worked on Verstappen's side of the garage since 2020, will act as his race engineer in Austin. Reports on 19 and 20 October said this is the first stage of a planned handover from GianPiero Lambiase, who is leaving for McLaren.

A split schedule for the final six rounds

According to RacingNews365 and PlanetF1, Hart will engineer Verstappen at three of the remaining six rounds: the United States Grand Prix this weekend, São Paulo and Las Vegas. Lambiase will return to the pit wall for Mexico City, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. When Hart is on the radio, Lambiase is expected to stay with the team in his wider role as head of racing.

Lambiase has been Verstappen's race engineer since 2016 and was part of all four of his world titles. He is due to join McLaren as chief racing officer. The start date has not been confirmed. McLaren has said he will arrive no later than 2028, and CEO Zak Brown has said he hopes the move happens during 2027. Red Bull has not formally confirmed that Hart will take the role full time next season. Reports say this depends partly on when Lambiase's McLaren deal begins.

Who is Tom Hart?

Hart has spent his whole Formula 1 career at Red Bull. After studying mechanical engineering at Warwick University, he joined the team on an industrial placement in 2012. He then spent more than five years as a simulator performance engineer at the Milton Keynes factory.

In January 2020 he moved trackside as a performance engineer on Verstappen's car. His work covered set-up and data alongside Lambiase. This season his role grew to senior performance engineer across both cars. He has also gained race engineering experience by running test sessions, filming days and some free practice sessions.

Earlier this year Hart was linked with a move to Williams to work with Alex Albon. The move did not happen, and reports suggest Red Bull wanted to keep him. Hart's long history with Verstappen's data and preferences is a major reason the team sees him as the natural successor.

Timing during a strong run

The change comes while Verstappen is in good form. He won the Singapore Grand Prix from pole and also took the Singapore sprint. He is fourth in the drivers' standings on 221 points, eight behind Lewis Hamilton in third. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' standings on 332 points, seven behind McLaren.

Red Bull's plans for the next few years are also taking shape. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed in September that Isack Hadjar has a contract until the end of 2030. This week Verstappen said he hopes the Frenchman will one day lead the team. Reports say former Aston Martin engineer Tom McCullough will join Red Bull in 2027 and take over some of Lambiase's management duties.

What to watch in Austin

The first test comes at the Circuit of the Americas on 23-25 October. It is a normal grand prix weekend with three practice sessions and no sprint. That gives Hart and Verstappen two more practice sessions to settle in than they would get on a sprint weekend. They then hand back to Lambiase for Mexico City a week later.

Key takeaways

• Tom Hart will engineer Max Verstappen at the US, São Paulo and Las Vegas Grands Prix.
• GianPiero Lambiase returns for Mexico City, Qatar and Abu Dhabi before moving to McLaren as chief racing officer.
• Hart joined Red Bull in 2012 and has been a performance engineer on Verstappen's car since 2020.
• Red Bull has not confirmed whether Hart will be Verstappen's full-time race engineer in 2027.

FAQ

Q: Why is GianPiero Lambiase stepping back? A: He has agreed to join McLaren as chief racing officer, so Red Bull is handing his race engineering duties over in stages.

Q: Which races will Tom Hart engineer this season? A: The United States, São Paulo and Las Vegas Grands Prix, according to reports.

Q: Is Austin a sprint weekend? A: No. The 2026 United States Grand Prix uses the standard format with three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.

Sources: RacingNews365, PlanetF1, Crash.net