GP Lambiase: 'F1 needs to be grateful to gentle giant Max Verstappen'

Max Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase believes F1 "needs to be grateful" to the four-time drivers' champion for the role he plays in the paddock.

The Italian-British engineer, who is known as 'GP' and has worked with the 27-year-old since he joined Red Bull from Toro Rosso in 2016, labelled Verstappen a "gentle giant" away from the track, even if he is portrayed as a "villain" usually.

Having reached 200 grands prix for the Milton Keynes-based squad, the team commemorated Verstappen's era by filming a Behind the Charge episode for its YouTube channel to honour the Dutchman.

Lambiase played a starring role, shedding light on his relationship with the 65-time grand prix winner and what Verstappen is like away from the circuit.

"Here at the track, Max, he’s portrayed as the villain of the paddock, but away from the track, he is the complete opposite," the 44-year-old explained.

"He’s the most sincere, gentle giant and a very likeable character. I consider him a top friend."

Whilst Verstappen has become one of the most polarising and divisive figures in modern-day F1, in large part due to his aggressive racing style and at times combative nature in front of TV cameras, there is an apparent disconnect between his occasionally hostile public persona and how he really is in private.

In particular, F1 rookies Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto were effusive in their praise of Verstappen for the mentoring and support he provides.

"Max is clearly a generational talent," Lambiase added. "He’s followed... in recent years, [Michael] Schumacher, Lewis [Hamilton], and he has taken on that mantle.

"And I think what he’s brought to this paddock... You see it in his relationship with the rookies nowadays, they’re all looking up to him and aspiring to be him and to achieve what he’s achieved. So, I think Formula 1 needs to be grateful for that."

Lambiase did, however, acknowledge the other side of Verstappen. As the mouthpiece between team and driver, he has often been on the receiving end of the Red Bull star's abrasiveness.

"Max’s limitation? His stubbornness," he said, light-heartedly. "He knows best, and that is an engineering challenge: to try and get yourself under his skin and into his head.

"I’ve come to accept that, even if at he time, he refuses to take in your recommendation, actually, he is absorbing it like a sponge, and he won’t admit it, but he will then go and do what you’ve asked."