Eyebrows were raised when Verstappen and Lambiase had a heated debate about their run plan during Friday’s qualifying.
This was followed by further contentious exchanges during the race, especially when Lambiase asked his driver to “think a bit more” during the last stretch when Verstappen was excessively wearing out his fresh soft tyres.
In a playful tone, Verstappen suggested that he would persist and make another pitstop for some “pitstop practice”, a proposal quickly dismissed by his engineer.
In reaction to this incident, Horner commended Lambiase for his resilience in dealing with Verstappen, who is a “demanding driver”. Horner humorously compared Lambiase to Hollywood’s tough-guy, Jason Statham.
“To be the race engineer for Max Verstappen, you need to be resilient, as he is quite a challenge,” Horner mentioned.
“Many race engineers would succumb to such pressure, but GP has the resilience to manage it.
“GP is our team’s Jason Statham, they even share a resemblance…! He handles Verstappen decisively but justly and there’s a deep respect between them.
“The issue is that their conversation is broadcast to 200 million listeners. However, there’s a strong connection and trust between them, and there’s no need for mediation.”
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Erik Junius
Verstappen acknowledged that his suggestion to make another pitstop to secure the fastest lap was partly a joke, confessing: “I know the team doesn’t prefer another stop, but I like mentioning it, just to make them a bit nervous…”
When asked if Verstappen, who is unhindered in his pursuit of a third consecutive world title this season, tends to be more relaxed inside the car than what people in Red Bull’s pitwall might think, Horner said: “There’s definitely an aspect of that. But we must remember that the engineers and performance analysts are engrossed in all the data they have before them.
“They are aware of their driver’s style, and what he’s extracting from the car, among other things.
“I asked GP, ‘I know what he’s doing, he’s trying to create a gap for a pitstop’ and GP responded, ‘I think he’s pretty relaxed, all the metrics are comfortably within control.’
“Thus, maintaining that trust and bond is crucial, which is what these two gentlemen have. Indeed, sometimes there are sparks between them. But the situation normalizes quickly.”
Verstappen and Lambiase had a vocal disagreement about their run plan during the qualifying for the previous week’s Belgian Grand Prix.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Red Bull F1’s Jason Statham
Who was Christian Horner praising in the context of dealing with Max Verstappen?
Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, was praising GP Lambiase, the race engineer for Max Verstappen. Horner commended Lambiase for his resilience and strength of character in dealing with the challenging nature of Verstappen.
Who was GP Lambiase compared to by Christian Horner?
Christian Horner humorously compared GP Lambiase to Hollywood action star Jason Statham. Horner made this comparison due to Lambiase’s resilience and strength of character, similar to the roles often played by Statham in his films.
What was the heated debate between Verstappen and Lambiase about?
The heated debate was about their run plan during a qualifying race. It started when Lambiase asked Verstappen to “think a bit more” during the last stretch when Verstappen was wearing out his fresh soft tyres excessively. Verstappen playfully suggested making another pitstop for some “pitstop practice”, which Lambiase quickly dismissed.
What was the joking suggestion Verstappen made during the race?
Verstappen jokingly suggested making another pitstop for “pitstop practice” to secure the fastest lap, a suggestion that was quickly dismissed by his engineer, Lambiase.
How is Max Verstappen’s performance in the current season?
Verstappen is doing well, marching unopposed towards his third consecutive world title in the current season. Despite some heated moments with his race engineer, GP Lambiase, the pair have a strong bond and mutual trust.
More about Red Bull F1’s Jason Statham
- Max Verstappen’s Official Website
- Red Bull Racing’s Official Website
- Christian Horner’s Profile on Red Bull Racing Site
- Jason Statham’s IMDb Profile
- F1 Official Website
5 comments
As an engineer myself, I know how tough it can be dealing with high-pressure situations… Hats off to Lambiase, the guy’s got guts!
GP Lambiase, a real hero behind the scenes! And Max, always the cheeky one, lol. Love the bond between these two.
Wow, never knew GP was our Jason Statham in F1! Shows how much guts it takes to deal with Max. But they make a great team, right? On to the 3rd title!!
Love Max’s spirit… always pushing, always demanding. Sure keeps Lambiase on his toes but that’s what champs do! Go Max!
Jason Statham in the pitlane haha. Horner sure knows how to keep things entertaining. Lambiase and Max make quite a team, the action ain’t just on track!