Verstappen’s right-hand man Lambiase is set to join McLaren in 2028, sparking speculation over whether the Dutchman could be the next to leave Red Bull, or F1 entirely, following multiple outbursts against the 2026 ‘Mario Kart’ regulations.
Speaking to RaceXpress, the four-time champion’s father responded to the news.
“We’ve known for a while, and we also knew when it would happen,” said Jos.
“We still have a year and a half, two years to work with him. It’s a huge opportunity for him and we understand it. We also said: you should do it, and grab it with both hands. The rest is up to Red Bull to replace him. We’ll see.”
After winning his first title, Verstappen said he would leave the sport if Lambiase quit F1, but according to Jos, the Dutchman’s outlook might be slightly different five years on.
“I think things have changed,” the former Benetton driver said.
“Certainly after four championships, you’ve achieved a lot together. The latter is up to Max, but I think he’ll just continue.”
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Despite taking place in Italy, the Scuderia’s Fiorano track is one of the few homologated for F1 and features an irrigation system that allows the asphalt to be soaked in order to recreate specific conditions for full wet and intermediate tyre testing.
In a press release, Pirelli explained what Hamilton had been up to during the test.
Pirelli said: “The first tyres to be tested were the extreme wet prototypes, including a new tread design already trialled last week at Suzuka, with the aim of extending the operating range of the Cinturato Full Wet to cover less intense rain conditions as well.“
“From mid-afternoon until the end of the day, a variant of the Cinturato Intermediate was fitted, making it possible to assess the crossover windows between the wet products tested on track.“
Across the two days, the Briton completed a total of 297 laps for an overall distance of 884 kilometres, with ambient temperatures reaching 22°C.
Mercedes and McLaren are also set to take part in a Pirelli tyre test, taking place at the iconic Nürburgring behind closed doors on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 April.