Motor racing-Mekies still sure Lambiase is joining McLaren to become principal

Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies stood by his opinion that ​Max Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was joining McLaren to ​become principal, despite incumbent Andrea Stella insisting ‌he ​was staying. Mekies first made the assertion at the Miami Grand Prix this month, with McLaren Chief Executive Zak Brown replying that the Frenchman clearly "knows something I don't".

"Look, it's certainly my understanding ‌that GP (Lambiase) is going to McLaren to become a team principal," Mekies told an FIA news conference at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Stella also present, when asked about it again on Friday. "That's what I told you at the time (in Miami).

"Obviously we had a number ‌of conversations before he was going to make that decision. Now, don't ask me if it's going to happen. The timing ‌of it is none of my business. I can just tell you the content of our conversations." McLaren announced Lambiase's move in April with his arrival set vaguely at a date no later than 2028, when his existing contract ends.

They also said he would be joining as Chief Racing Officer, in a supporting ⁠role to ​Stella. Stella, whose team have won two ⁠consecutive constructors' titles and Lando Norris's drivers' crown last year, has been linked in media speculation to Ferrari while there has been talk of their Australian ⁠driver Oscar Piastri moving to Red Bull.

Some have also questioned whether four-times world champion Verstappen might follow Lambiase to McLaren, although Mekies said he ​was not worried about that happening. Stella shrugged off the various suggestions on Friday, the Italian saying he was fully committed ⁠to McLaren, Piastri was happy and it seemed the 'Silly Season' had already arrived.

"For us, it's important to employ the best talents in Formula One because Zak and ⁠I ​want to build the strongest team," he added. "I have been part of the Ferrari team in the early 2000s, and I know what level of seniority, expertise, leadership you need to be successful in the present and in the future.

"And employing GP ⁠is part of this vision ... of creating additive leadership that can integrate with the present leadership and create a stronger and ⁠stronger team at McLaren. "I very strongly ⁠wanted GP to join McLaren. I am personally very stretched in my role as team principal, and I need a strong group of leaders working with me. So, I think the plan ‌is very clear. Any ‌other speculation leads us back to the silly season."

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