The role Lambiase used to aid Verstappen’s Brazil win

Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase has explained how using a “subservient” approach with the Red Bull driver aided his Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix victory charge last season.

The pair’s relationship has often grabbed attention since Verstappen’s arrival at Red Bull in 2016, with Lambiase not shy in being firm with the Dutchman even in fractious moments.

But Lambiase has acknowledged his approach with Verstappen over team radio must adapt to each situation – a ploy that he detailed with reference to the 27-year-old’s Brazilian GP victory from 17th on the grid, which was named as the Moment of the Year at the Autosport Awards earlier this week.

“It’s something you need to be innately aware of when you are communicating with a driver that’s traveling at 300kph+ in a very high-pressure environment like that,” Lambiase told Motorsport.com.

“Whilst we are a duo, I think you need to realise that the engineer needs to be subservient to the driver at that point.

“It’s pointless rising to the occasion or anything like that because you’ll just end up in a spiral downwards very, very quickly.”

Having dropped out in Q2 after being caught out by a red flag for Lance Stroll’s crash, Verstappen produced a stunning charge through the pack in wet conditions to take a victory which had a massive impact on his title fight against Lando Norris – going on to seal his fourth crown at the following race in Las Vegas.

But rather than targeting the win, Lambiase said they approached the Brazilian race looking to minimise any points gain Norris might achieve given the McLaren driver started on pole.

“It was really a case for us of damage limitation at that point,” he explained. “Obviously, there’s always opportunity with wet weather, with Max in the car anything is possible.

“He was making very quick progress through the beginning of the race. We could tell that the gap to the leaders wasn’t really growing. If anything, he was starting to chip away, and I knew he had the pace, which was positive at the time.

“I think it was just really a case of making the right calls at the right time, Max, doing the right things and keeping the car on the tarmac.

“Then there was one pivotal moment in the race when ultimately he stayed out on track on intermediates whilst the two leaders [Norris and George Russell] pitted for a fresh set which gave him track position.

“Once he was behind Esteban [Ocon] at the restart, I guess I knew that the race win was on the cards, and that really was a pivotal moment in the world championship battle.”

Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, at the restart

Photo by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Images

Lambiase felt remaining level-headed and getting clear feedback from Verstappen on track conditions and tyre performance ensured he avoided making errors or poor pitstop calls.

“I hope it didn’t come across as frantic,” he added. “With the conditions that they were on track it didn’t feel like the intermediates were wearing necessarily, we weren’t overheating them as such. We had evidence to suggest that the tyres were still in good condition.

“It really was about making sure that we can just keep circulating and we don’t venture off track. So the decision for us really was I want to say quite straightforward in terms of pitting for a fresh set of inters, that wasn’t really ever on the cards.

“We were a little bit surprised when the two leaders gave up the track position to do so. So for us I won’t say it was calm, but it was where we followed our processes and ultimately came out on top.”

Watch: Moment of the Year – Verstappen Masterclass in Brazil