Five of the best Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase F1 radio exchanges

Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase’s driver-engineer relationship will come to an end when the latter leaves for McLaren in 2028. 

Lambaise’s shock switch away from Red Bull to join rival McLaren once his current contract expires at the end of 2027 will mark the conclusion of one of the most iconic partnerships in F1 history. 

Verstappen and Lambiase have been team-mates ever since the Dutchman joined Red Bull from Toro Rosso in 2016, and have shared some huge moments amid an extremely close bond, winning four world championships and 71 victories together (to date). 

Things have not always been perfectly harmonious, leading to some funny, awkward and at times tense team radio moments over the years. 

We’ve taken a look back at some of the most memorable radio exchanges between the pair. 

An “unbelievable” start

Verstappen immediately made headlines on his Red Bull debut after the team’s ruthless decision to fast-track him into the senior team and demote Daniil Kvyat just four races into the 2016 F1 season. 

The move would prove to be a masterstroke, with Verstappen sensationally claiming victory on his first Red Bull start after the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton wiped each other out on the opening lap at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Verstappen held off Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen to become the youngest winner in F1 history at just 18 years old. 

“Yes! Yes!” Verstappen shouted over team radio. Lambiase cooly responded: “Unbelievable, Max. Unbelievable.” 

“Face-to-face with Godzilla”

During final practice at the 2016 Singapore Grand Prix, Verstappen and Lambiase had a humorous exchange after the Red Bull driver had a close encounter with a large monitor lizard. 

“There’s a giant lizard on the track,” Verstappen reported, to which Lambiase added the quick-witted reply: “Face-to-face with Godzilla then, mate.” 

At the same track in 2023, Verstappen spotted another reptile on the circuit: “Oh! There’s a lizard again on the track. A smaller one this time.” 

“Maybe Godzilla had a kid,” Lambiase joked back. 

“One piece of luck” in epic F1 title fight  

Verstappen sealed his first world title in hugely dramatic and controversial circumstances at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after coming out on top of a last-lap showdown with Hamilton.

The raw emotion of Verstappen’s last-gasp victory as the monumental weight of his achievement sunk in was a memorable radio moment that is regularly replayed. 

“Oh my god yes! Yes, yes! Oh my god! Oh my god,” Verstappen shouted after crossing the lime. 

After receiving congratulations from Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, Lambiase came on the radio to say: “Mate you absolutely deserve it. You absolutely deserve it. You’ve had no luck. Not had the rub of the green. Recharge on please, recharge on.”

Verstappen said back: “Oh my god guys. I love you so much,” before later adding: “It’s unbelievable guys. Can we do this for another 10, 15 years together?”

Referencing the controversial late safety car that swung the title battle in Verstappen’s favour, Lambiase went on: “Mate, honestly. Stay on track please Max, stay on track. Fail 84. Mate the whole season, they tried to bring you down all year. The one piece of luck. One piece of luck.”

Verstappen responded: “Went down to the last lap, unbelievable,” before Lambiase concluded the exchange by saying: “You enjoy this mate.” 

Radio sparring in Belgium 

Having already engaged in a high-profile disagreement over the airwaves in qualifying at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix as Verstappen slammed Red Bull’s “s*** execution” after he narrowly avoided a Q2 elimination, the pair sparred again in the grand prix. 

Verstappen took a dominant victory at Spa but attracted attention for questioning Red Bull’s strategy. When sitting in second place behind then team-mate Sergio Perez, Lambiase instructed his driver to “use your head”. 

This prompted Verstappen to reply: “Are we both doing it or what?”. Lambiase responded: “You just follow my instruction.” Verstappen quickly snapped back: “I just want to know if both cars do it.” His race engineer replied: “Max, please just follow my instruction, thank you.” 

The testy messages continued with Lambiase scolding Verstappen for taking too much out of his tyres. After Verstappen set the fastest lap of the race, he warned his driver: “This tyre had reasonable degradation in the first stint. I’d advise you to use your head a bit more.” 

Verstappen quipped back: “I could also push on and do another stop - a bit of pit stop practice.” 

The Dutchman went on to claim his 10th win in 12th races and all would be forgiven. 

2024 Hungarian GP “childish” 

Verstappen was highly critical both of his RB20’s performance and Red Bull’s strategy during a frustrated run to fifth at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, a race which also featured a late collision with his old title rival Hamilton. 

This led to a series of tense exchanges between Verstappen and Lambiase, who, responding to Verstappen’s complaints about Hamilton’s driving following their collision, said: “I am not even going to get into a fight with the other teams, Max. We’ll let the stewards do their thing. It’s childish on the radio, childish.” 

Horner moved to downplay the exchange, insisting Lambiase’s comments were not directed at Verstappen, but at rival teams for goading the stewards to punish the Red Bull driver. It nevertheless provided another piece of radio gold between Verstappen and Lambiase.