Max Verstappen has been handed some unfortunate news as he seeks F1 glory.

F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas - Qualifying

Max Verstappen will lose three key allies in 2026 (Image: Getty)

Max Verstappen will reportedly lose three members of his core entourage at the end of the season as the Dutchman braces for a significant shake-up in the Red Bull garage. Of his four key engineers, only Gianpiero Lambiase will remain with the four-time world champion for the start of the new technical regulations.

Mart, 41, will head to Audi at the end of the season. The power unit guru is seeking a change of scenery and looks forward to taking on new responsibilities, including mentoring drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto.

“It feels like the right time to take on a new challenge, with a new team and new engines,” he told De Telegraaf on Friday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “I’ll have ultimate responsibility for the engine there at the track and will mentor both drivers.

“Perhaps people also expected me to go to Aston Martin, since they’ll be using Honda engines next year. But then it would be a similar role to what I’m doing now. And in that case, I would have preferred to stay at Red Bull, to continue working with a driver like Max.”

F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas - Qualifying
Gianpiero Lambiase will be the only key member left (Image: Getty)

According to the report, performance engineer Hart’s exit was more unexpected. The Brit will swap Milton Keynes for Grove, joining James Vowles’ project at Williams, although the date of his transfer remains unknown. Manning’s departure, however, was expected.

The latest round of Red Bull exits compounds a challenging period for the Milton Keynes-based organisation. Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Will Courtenay are among the key figures who have quit in recent times, while long-serving team principal Christian Horner was dismissed back in July.

Despite the changes behind the scenes, Verstappen has managed to remain competitive. Heading into the first round of this season-closing triple header, the Dutchman has scored seven consecutive podiums and remains, at least mathematically, a factor in the Drivers’ Championship title fight.

That could all change within the next 24 hours, though. After qualifying behind World Championship leader Lando Norris, the Dutchman is running out of opportunities to eat into the 49-point margin that separates the two title rivals.