Max Verstappen's decision on his Formula 1 future will not be swayed by the departure of his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, according to Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies.
Lambiase, who has worked with Verstappen since the Dutchman joined Red Bull in 2016, is set to leave for a role as McLaren's chief racing officer by 2028. Mekies dismissed any suggestion that the move would influence Verstappen's thinking amid his dissatisfaction with the new engines.
"Obviously, we speak with Max every day. And Max knows motorsport upside down. He's living and breathing this team. He understands very well the dynamics that can happen," Mekies said.
The team principal noted that success naturally leads to personnel changes. "The team has been extremely successful and you can't promote everyone. And some people make some decisions."
Verstappen has voiced concerns over the new hybrid engines, which split power nearly evenly between internal combustion and electric. Rule changes for this weekend's Miami Grand Prix aim to address issues such as energy management during qualifying and excessive closing speeds.
Mekies described the changes as a positive step but acknowledged that more work is needed. "It's going in the right directions. We don't think it's changing any pecking order. Nobody pretends it's going to fix everything, but it's a good step."
He backed McLaren's Andrea Stella in calling for "hardware changes" to the power unit ratio. Sources indicate discussions are underway, with the main option being to increase the fuel-flow rate of the combustion engine.