‘I am supposed to be on your side’ – Lambiase message emerges in untelevised Verstappen team radio
GianPiero Lambiase has served as Max Verstappen's race engineer at Red Bull since 2016
Untelevised team radio footage from the Chinese Grand Prix has revealed the moment GianPiero Lambiase reminded Red Bull driver Max Verstappen “I’m supposed to be on your side.”
It comes after another frustrating weekend for the four-time world champion in Shanghai, where Verstappen suffered his first retirement since June 2025.
Untelevised Max Verstappen team radio emerges after Chinese Grand Prix
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Mercedes’ dominance continued in China as Kimi Antonelli led a one-two finish ahead of teammate George Russell.
Lewis Hamilton completed the podium by securing his first podium finish for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc completing the top four.
Red Bull had a troubled weekend in China as Verstappen qualified a second off Antonelli’s time for pole position on Saturday before retiring in the closing stages of Sunday’s race.
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An ERS cooling issue was later confirmed as the cause of Verstappen’s early exit as he recorded his first DNF since last year’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Verstappen reiterated his criticism of the F1 2026 rules after the race, branding the new regulations “fundamentally flawed.”
PlanetF1.com revealed last week how Verstappen aired his frustration with the new cars over team radio during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
And untelevised footage from the Chinese Grand Prix has unearthed more mid-race frustrations with Verstappen’s long-serving race engineer Lambiase at one stage telling the four-time world champion: “I am supposed to be on your side, Max. I’m trying to give you some help and some information.”
As in Melbourne, Verstappen found himself frustrated by the requirements of the 2026 cars in terms of energy management over the course of the race.
The first sign of annoyance came on Lap 20 when he remarked: “Mate, my f**king boost button.”
On Lap 26, Lambiase instructed Verstappen to increase his use of the lift-and-coast technique on the approach to corners in order to help charge the battery. The exchange went as follows:
Lambiase: “So increase your lift off. Just try and get that battery up, Max.”
Verstappen: “So this is my normal deployment?”
Lambiase: “This is standard deployment for no overtake moments.”
A further instruction arrived on the following lap when Verstappen was told to focus on lift-and-coast at the first corner and Turn 14, the hairpin at the end of the long back straight.
Lambiase: “Max, we increase the lift off by around 50 metres Turn 14 and Turn 1, please.”
Lambiase: “Easy on the brake pedal as well into those two corners.”
Verstappen reported an issue with the steering wheel on Lap 29, but was reassured by Lambiase that his pace was holding up.
Verstappen: “The steering wheel feels heavier and heavier.”
Lambiase: “OK, standby Max.”
Lambiase: “Pace is reasonable, Max, keep your head down. Not bad.”
On Lap 34, there was a moment of confusion as Lambiase appeared to indicate that Verstappen was losing a full second to the leaders at Turns 7 and 8, the high-speed, sweeping bends in the second sector.
He went on to clarify that those turns were responsible for most of Verstappen’s time loss in that sector of the lap.
Lambiase: “Reduce tyre management, please, Max, Turn 7 and Turn 8. Reduce tyre management. Giving away a second now to the leaders just in those three [sic] corners.”
Verstappen: “Wait, 7 and 8? One second?”
Lambiase: “No, it’s the sector [where you’re giving away a] second, but it’s predominantly those three corners.”
Lambiase then reminded Verstappen “I am supposed to be on your side” when informing the four-time world champion of further time losses at Turn 6 on Laps 35 and 36.
Verstappen: “My tyres are [inaudible]. I just can’t do anything.”
Lambiase: “Max, our main loss to car ahead and car behind is actually braking and exit of Turn 6.”
Verstappen: “Check my onboard.”
Lambiase: “I am supposed to be on your side, Max. I’m trying to give you some help and some information. Nothing further, mate. That’s it.”
Verstappen: “Do I even need to lift in 6 or not?”
Lambiase: “Lift not required Turn 6.”
Verstappen: “Doing half of the race lifting, why [inaudible]?”
Verstappen: “I still need to lift in 1 and 14?”
Lambiase: “Yes, please. Thank you.”
Verstappen was told to retire on Lap 44 after the discovery of what Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies described as a “coolant fault.”
Verstappen: “No, this…”
Lambiase: “OK, Max, let’s retire the car, please. Retire the car.”
Verstappen: “Anything that I need to press?”
Lambiase: “No.”
Verstappen: “I need to box somewhere or get back to the pits.”
Lambiase: “Let’s crawl it back home.”
After warning Verstappen about oncoming cars on his slow lap back to the pits, Lambiase added when the RB22 returned to the pits: “Hard luck, sorry about that.”
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