Zak Brown says Gianpiero Lambiase could join McLaren as early as 2027, sooner than the expected 2028 arrival.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown expressed optimism that Gianpiero Lambiase will arrive at the team in 2027, much earlier than the 2028 deadline specified in his contract. Brown told Sky Sports he is feeling optimistic about seeing Max Verstappen's current race engineer in papaya at some point next year.

McLaren confirmed in April that Lambiase would take the role of chief racing officer with the team, reporting to team principal Andrea Stella. The role already exists within the team structure with overall leadership of the race team, duties currently managed by Stella in addition to his team principal responsibilities.

Lambiase has spent over ten years working alongside the four-time champion and has managed countless complicated decisions during grands prix. His arrival will allow Stella to deepen his focus on his main role as team chief while bringing another layer of racing knowledge to McLaren's championship fight.

Brown praised the team's progress through the second half of the 2026 season, describing the men and women at the factory as doing a great job. He noted they have made significant gains from what was a very tough start to the year and feels they are on top of things now with exciting times ahead.