Red Bull has officially announced the appointment of veteran engineer Tom McCullough, most recently associated with Aston Martin, who will step into the position currently held by Gianpiero Lambiase as the team’s head of racing.
Lambiase is set to transition to McLaren by 2028, where he will assume the role of chief racing officer under team principal Andrea Stella. At present, the British engineer maintains a dual responsibility at Red Bull, balancing his duties as Max Verstappen’s race engineer with his broader strategic oversight as head of racing.
In a related development, Tom Hart, who previously served as Verstappen’s performance engineer, has declined an opportunity to move to Williams for the 2027 race engineer position. Meanwhile, Red Bull has identified McCullough as the ideal candidate to fill the leadership gap left by Lambiase’s eventual departure.
In an official statement, the team expressed enthusiasm about the new addition: “We are thrilled to have Tom join us at the start of 2027, and we eagerly anticipate the extensive experience and technical expertise he will contribute to the team.”
Gianpiero Lambiase is set to depart Red Bull by 2028 at the latest.
Photo by: Kym Illman / Getty Images
McCullough brings a wealth of experience from his extensive tenure at Aston Martin, spanning the team’s Force India and Racing Point eras. He held the chief race engineer position for four seasons before advancing to performance director, a role he maintained through the conclusion of the 2024 campaign.
Following a structural reorganization at Aston Martin in early 2025, McCullough’s previous responsibilities were reassigned to former team principal Mike Krack. McCullough subsequently transitioned to non-Formula 1 initiatives within Aston Martin Performance Technologies in a senior capacity, a position he is now preparing to leave.
The 50-year-old engineer began his professional career at chassis manufacturer Reynard and has held notable positions at both Sauber and Williams throughout his career in motorsport.
