"I can certainly see that happening": Ralf Schumacher sparks talk of a spectacular driver swap in Formula 1 involving Max Verstappen

“Max Verstappen has said that if Lambiase leaves, he’ll leave too. So I can certainly imagine Oscar Piastri joining Red Bull and Max then moving to McLaren, if he continues racing at all,” said Schumacher.

Last week it became clear that Verstappen’s race engineer and close confidant, Lambiase, will leave Red Bull when his 2028 contract expires and will then join McLaren.

Lambiase’s exit means Verstappen will have lost three key allies in short order: aerodynamics chief Adrian Newey, who switched to Aston Martin, and motorsport adviser Dr Helmut Marko, who retired from Formula 1. The Dutchman and Lambiase have collaborated since 2016.

The team currently sits a non-threatening fourth in the constructors’ standings, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. Verstappen’s best finish so far is sixth, achieved in the season-opener in Melbourne, leaving him ninth in the drivers’ championship.

According to F1-Insider, it is increasingly clear that Verstappen no longer sees a future at RB and could leave soon. His contract includes several performance clauses that could ease an early exit. If he is not at least third in the World Championship by the summer break, a get-out clause would allow him to leave at the end of the year, the report explains.

Rumours have circulated for months that the 28-year-old wants to walk away from the Bulls, either to join another team or even leave Formula 1. Mercedes is said to be a possible destination, where George Russell’s seat is reportedly not 100% secure.

Piastri, last year’s third-place finisher in the World Championship, is under contract with McLaren until 2028 but has also been linked with a move, reportedly feeling dissatisfied with his treatment at the team.