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The news that Gianpiero Lambiase is leaving Red Bull for McLaren has sent a wave of speculation through the paddock, not just about what it means for Verstappen, but about where Lambiase himself is ultimately heading. Jack Plooij has a clear theory about the engineer's final destination, and it is not in the McLaren garage.
Doornbos: Verstappen Stays but Knows the End Is in Sight
Robert Doornbos, speaking at the Ziggo Sport Race Café, offered his reading of the Verstappen side of the equation. "I think Max has said to the team: I am staying loyal, but I can also see where my final stop is. The contract runs for a few more years, but is he still enjoying it? I also understood from Jos that Gianpiero consulted with them. He told them he had been given a chance." Doornbos believes that chance relates to an eventual path to becoming a team principal, which he described as the highest position you can reach in Formula 1.
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Plooij: Ferrari Is the Dream
Plooij went a step further. "I think he also has the dream of one day becoming team principal at Ferrari, because for all Italians working in Formula 1, that is the dream. Ferrari, in that red car. He has that dream too." Lambiase is currently 45 years old, which means there is still a significant stretch of career ahead of him. The McLaren role is not necessarily his final destination.
How Does Lambiase Become Team Principal?
Ziggo presenter Shelly Sterk noted that Lambiase is not being appointed as team principal at McLaren, but Doornbos and Plooij both believe the path there is built into the move. "Why not? Stella is going to Ferrari. That chance is very high. They will have guaranteed him that, otherwise you do not make that step," said Plooij. Doornbos agreed. "Financially it is a massive step forward, but it also creates opportunities. If you have been somewhere for so many years, it is also time for something different. Red Bull needs to find a replacement and those are big shoes to fill."
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