"I'd prefer working with the people I have a good connection with": When Max Verstappen spoke about poaching his RB crew away to a different team

In 2023, Max Verstappen was asked a question about whom he would take along if he ever left Red Bull. At the time, the idea of Verstappen jumping ship sounded hypothetical. But that old conversation now carries fresh relevance.

The question came during an interview in Dutch, long before the team's current leadership upheaval and performance struggles. It was filmed after Max had already clinched his third title in a dominant 2023 campaign. When asked if he would take long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, known simply as GP, with him if he ever joined another team.

The Dutchman laughed off the question at first, suggesting jokingly that:

"Now I have to be careful with what I'm saying, because otherwise the team will be tying him down for 20 years. So absolutely not, never."

But then he added on a more serious note:

"No but, if if if I would be going to a different team, I'd prefer working with the people I already have a good connection with and of course already achieved things with."

The video was recently shared on X by an F1 fan account.

It was a classic Max Verstappen response, but it was emotionally honest.

His bond with Lambiase has been instrumental in shaping the Red Bull era of dominance. Lambiase first joined the team in 2015 to engineer Daniil Kvyat and has remained a constant figure on Verstappen's radio since 2016. Despite their no-nonsense communication style, the duo has developed a chemistry that Max believes sharpens his performance.

Lambiase, now Head of Racing at Oracle Red Bull Racing, has arguably become Verstappen's closest professional ally. That connection is why his 2023 remark lands differently today, in the wake of sweeping changes at Red Bull.

After a difficult weekend in Silverstone, culminating in Max finishing fifth from pole, team boss Christian Horner was officially removed from his post on July 9, 2025.

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Max Verstappen's loyalty tested amid Red Bull upheaval

Max Verstappen with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff at the Jeddah Corniche in 2014. Source: Getty

Since securing his fourth Drivers' title in 2024, Max Verstappen has seen the infrastructure around him begin to erode. The team lost the Constructors' Championship to McLaren, and in early 2025, Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer behind the team's recent dominance, departed for Aston Martin.

Rob Marshall and Jonathan Wheatley also exited, leaving Red Bull thinner in leadership than they've been in years. Christian Horner's latest ousting marks the most dramatic change of all. He was the architect behind Red Bull's rise since 2005 and oversaw the team's most successful period.

Max Verstappen (R) with the Red Bull Racing team at Circuit of The Americas. Source: Getty

Horner's tenure unraveled amid mounting internal power struggles and a weakening performance curve. Replacing him with Laurent Mekies, formerly of Racing Bulls, signals a shift not just in leadership, but in philosophy.

Max Verstappen gave a heartfelt tribute to Horner on social media. Yet, reports suggest the Dutchman may have backed the change behind closed doors. With Red Bull currently fourth in the standings with 162 points compared to McLaren's 417, his contractual escape clause looms larger.

Some sources even claimed that Max will stay only if Horner leaves. While those reports have seemingly been dismissed by the Verstappen camp, the question now isn't whether Verstappen would leave Red Bull, but under what circumstances. With teammate Yuki Tsunoda contributing just seven points to the tally, Max has carried the burden alone.

Max Verstappen's gloves before the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix. Source: Getty

The 2025 season has been his most trying yet, with mounting frustrations over the RB21's unpredictability and an increasingly competitive McLaren lineup. While Horner had earlier called Verstappen's potential move to Mercedes 'noise', his departure raises questions regarding the future of the reigning champion.

The Dutchman remains under contract until 2028, but in a season where nothing feels secure anymore, his old words may become the blueprint for his next chapter.