The Dutchman will lose his long-time race engineer at the end of 2027, bringing to a close one of Formula 1’s most successful driver-engineer partnerships.
Verstappen and Lambiase have worked together since 2016, building a partnership that has delivered four world titles and more than 70 grand prix victories.
Their close working relationship has often been highlighted as a key factor in Red Bull’s sustained success.
Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Verstappen made it clear he had no intention of trying to block Lambiase’s switch to a senior role at McLaren.
“We had a good chat about that and it would be stupid from my side to try and hold him back when you get an opportunity like that,” Verstappen said.
“I was very happy for him. We are still working together this year, next year.
“Times change in your career and that was a really good opportunity for him so I’m happy for him and as a team, we keep pushing together, keep looking forward. In the interests of the team for the future we are trying to find the best people to replace him.
“The general understanding that we have with each other and the chemistry works really well.
“That’s very rare I think in racing. You don’t see that often, a driver and engineer that gel that well together.
“That’s of course something I’ll have to try and find again. It’s not that easy but sometimes that happens.”
Despite previously suggesting he would not want to race without Lambiase, Verstappen acknowledged the realities of the situation and the importance of his engineer’s career progression.
“Well, otherwise, I don’t get to drive,” he explained.
“I will have to work with someone else, but I think times change, and the offer that he got, I would be an idiot to try and keep him.
“It’s not only about me all the time.
“It is also about his career and moving forward, so for me, it was a no-brainer to be honest, but we are looking to the future now, and working with different engineers, and I’m sure we’ll find solutions for that.
“I already said that I wish him the best and that there are no hard feelings, and that as a team, we look to the future and want to innovate and improve.”
While the impending split marks a significant shift for Red Bull, Verstappen made clear it has no bearing on his own long-term future with the team.
“It has got nothing to do with it,” he added.
Alongside the discussion around Lambiase’s departure, Verstappen also weighed in on the latest tweaks to Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, introduced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
The adjustments are aimed in part at improving qualifying and reducing the impact of energy management, but Verstappen remained unconvinced they will deliver a fundamental shift in how the cars are driven.
“With the changes that are made, I think it’s more like a tickle,” he said.
“Because at the end of the day, F1 is a very complex and political sport.
“I think everyone has tried their best to at least do something, but of course it won’t change the world.
“[This] is not what we need yet to really make it flat out. But like I said, it’s complicated to get everyone to agree.
“I just hope for next year we can make really big, big changes.”
Even so, the four-time world champion said he saw encouragement in the increased dialogue between drivers and the sport’s decision-makers.
“The positive thing about it is that we’ve had some nice meetings with Formula 1 and the FIA. And I think that’s hopefully a starting point for the future,” he said.
“Because I do think that most of the drivers here, we have a good understanding and a good feel of what is needed to make Formula 1 a good product, a fun product.
“And I think that’s already a huge step forward in terms of the communication.”
Verstappen also acknowledged the balance between sporting concerns and F1’s commercial success, suggesting differing priorities can shape how the current product is viewed.
“I only speak about the purity of the sport, what we need, and for the drivers as well, what we feel in the car,” he explained.
“But you have to understand that it’s a business, it’s a sport.
“And that’s, like I said, why it can be political at times.”
With more substantial changes unlikely in the short term, Verstappen hoped lessons from the current rules cycle will influence the future direction of the championship.
“I think if we would have had that five or six years ago, then we probably wouldn’t have been in the state that we are in now,” he said.
“I just hope that it’s a lesson for the future.”
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