[Saba Sports News] Former Haas F1 Team principal Gunther Steiner shared his views on Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure from Red Bull Racing to join McLaren. He argued that this is a normal occurrence in the F1 world rather than a sign of crisis.
After McLaren confirmed the signing of the key figure, who has long served as Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Red Bull’s ongoing talent exodus in recent years has once again come under the spotlight. From Adrian Newey to Jonathan Wheatley, alongside the successive exits of multiple core team members, there are widespread external concerns that the once long-dominant outfit is facing structural turmoil.
Steiner offered a different perspective on the matter. He pointed out that Formula 1 follows a clear cyclical pattern. When a team stays at the peak for an extended period, its key staff will inevitably become prime targets for rival teams. Any fluctuation in performance tends to trigger a wave of poaching. For individuals, moving to a new team at the height of their professional value is also a common career move.
In my opinion, Red Bull still maintains strong competitiveness for now, yet it no longer holds the absolute dominance it once enjoyed. Against this backdrop, staff turnover becomes far more likely and may trigger a chain reaction, further undermining the team’s stability.