Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Red Bull praises Tom Hart after his first race as Verstappen’s engineer
At the US Grand Prix in Austin, Tom Hart took over as Max Verstappen’s race engineer for the first time.
Hart has worked at Red Bull since 2012 and has been closely involved with Verstappen’s car as a performance engineer since 2020.
He is expected to succeed Gianpiero Lambiase, who is leaving for McLaren to become its chief racing officer under Andrea Stella.
Red Bull plans to alternate Hart and Lambiase across the remaining races this season to make the changeover smoother.
Team principal Laurent Mekies said Hart did an excellent job during his first qualifying session and race, despite the complicated weekend.
Verstappen finished third, behind Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc, and Mekies said the change was part of the plan, not an assessment of either engineer’s performance.
Mekies said Hart was supported by Lambiase and expressed confidence that Hart will build a strong working relationship with Verstappen.
Tom Hart made his debut as Max Verstappen’s race engineer at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies said Hart had done an excellent job in his first qualifying session and race.
Verstappen finished third, behind Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc.
Hart and Gianpiero Lambiase are set to alternate as Verstappen’s engineer for the rest of the season.
Lambiase is due to leave Red Bull for McLaren, where he will become Chief Racing Officer under Andrea Stella.
- Who
- Tom Hart, Max Verstappen’s new race engineer, and Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s team principal.
- What
- Hart handled Verstappen’s radio for the first time at a Grand Prix. Mekies praised his work.
- When
- At the United States Grand Prix in Austin; the articles were published on October 27, 2026.
- Where
- Austin, at the United States Grand Prix.
- Why
- Hart is set to succeed Gianpiero Lambiase, who is leaving for McLaren. The team is alternating them as part of its transition plan.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hart and Lambiase are set to alternate as Verstappen’s engineer, with Hart assigned to Austin, São Paulo and Las Vegas, and Lambiase to Mexico City, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Hart handled Verstappen’s radio for the first time; Verstappen finished third.
Mekies praised Hart’s debut and said he had been well supported by Lambiase in the background.
- Debut
- Tom Hart served as Verstappen’s race engineer for the first time in Austin
- Verstappen’s finish
- Third, behind Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc
- Hart at Red Bull
- Since 2012
- Hart’s role
- Performance engineer closely involved with Verstappen’s car since 2020
- Lambiase’s next role
- Chief Racing Officer at McLaren under Andrea Stella
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What people are saying
I think he did an excellent job, and you can see me smiling... I remember very well what it is like to do your first race as a race engineer.
But jokes aside: I really think he did an excellent job.
It has nothing to do with the evaluation. It is simply part of the plan.