Checkered Weekend: Verstappen's Engineer Leaving Red Bull, Ogura Signs 2027 Deal, IndyCar Eyes Brazil Return & Lawrence Reclaims Points Lead in Nashville

Lambiase Confirmed Leaving Red Bull for McLaren in 2028

Red Bull has confirmed that Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen's long-time race engineer and head of racing, will leave the team at the end of the 2027 Formula 1 season.

The news, first reported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, was confirmed by Red Bull in a brief statement on Thursday. Lambiase joined Red Bull in 2015 and has been central to Verstappen's four world championship campaigns. He is understood to have agreed terms with McLaren, where he will take on a senior trackside role supporting team principal Andrea Stella.

"GP is a valued member of the team," Red Bull's statement read. "Until his planned departure, GP continues in his roles as head of racing and as race engineer to Max Verstappen. The team and he are fully committed to add more success to our strong track record together."

The move follows a pattern that has become familiar at Red Bull in recent seasons. Chief designer Rob Marshall, head of strategy Will Courtenay, tech chief Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, CEO Christian Horner, and adviser Helmut Marko have all departed the team in recent years, with several landing at rival outfits.

Lambiase could join McLaren before 2028 if both teams agree an early release. The departure comes against the backdrop of uncertainty around Verstappen's own future, with the four-time champion known to have exit clauses in his current Red Bull contract that can be triggered as early as this summer.

Yamaha Signs Ogura to Complete 2027 Factory Lineup

Yamaha has confirmed the signing of Ai Ogura for the 2027 MotoGP season, where the 25-year-old Japanese rider will partner Jorge Martin in the manufacturer's factory team.

Ogura, currently in his second MotoGP campaign with Trackhouse Racing aboard an Aprilia, will replace Alex Rins following Fabio Quartararo's long-confirmed move to Honda. The signing completes Yamaha's factory lineup for 2027, pairing the 2024 Moto2 champion with MotoGP's 2024 premier class title holder.

Ogura made a strong impression during his rookie MotoGP season in 2025, finishing fifth on his debut in Buriram, a result that stood as his best of the year. In 2026, he matched that result in both Thailand and Brazil before a mechanical failure ended his race at Austin.

The move closes the door on other candidates for the seat, including Luca Marini, whose camp has been informed of Yamaha's decision. Dani Holgado had also been in discussions with Yamaha but confirmed earlier this week that he will join Gresini Racing.

Ogura's departure will leave a vacancy at Trackhouse Racing, with Raul Fernandez the most likely candidate to remain with the American outfit. Formal announcements across the rider market remain on hold.

IndyCar Scouts Goiania as Potential 2027 Race Venue

Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles visited the Ayrton Senna International Circuit in Goiania, Brazil on April 10, accompanied by IndyCar logistics director Bill van de Sandt and Latin American series representatives Willy Herrmann and Carlo Gancia. Executives from Band, the Brazilian broadcaster that holds IndyCar rights in the country, also attended.

The group was welcomed by Goias governor Daniel Vilela, who presented data from the Brazilian MotoGP Grand Prix, including its return on investment figures, and outlined the circuit's readiness to host the American open-wheel series. Vilela expressed interest in welcoming IndyCar to the state as early as 2027.

The Ayrton Senna International Circuit hosted a MotoGP round earlier this season. The visit from IndyCar representatives suggests the venue is under active consideration as a potential race host, though no official announcement has been made.

"We are excited and optimistic about the possibility of bringing another major sporting event to Goias," Vilela said. "This means more job creation and economic activity for our state."

Lawrence Reclaims the Points Lead in Nashville

Round 13 from Nissan Stadium in Nashville was billed as the most closely contested three-rider title fight in 450SMX Class history, and Hunter Lawrence made sure it ended with him back on top.

Shane McElrath grabbed the holeshot at the start of the 20 Minute + 1 Lap Main Event but was quickly swallowed up. Justin Hill moved into the lead ahead of Ken Roczen and Jorge Prado, with Lawrence slotting into the top five. Roczen went on the attack and took the lead early, with Lawrence working his way to second and establishing himself as the fastest rider on track. Championship co-leader Eli Tomac, meanwhile, was buried outside the top 10 after a poor start.

The gap between Lawrence and Roczen hovered between one and two seconds through the middle portion of the race until, with just over eight minutes remaining, Roczen lost traction before a triple jump. Lawrence seized the moment, jumped through into the lead, and immediately began to pull away. Roczen tried to respond but went down shortly after, dropping to fourth behind Hill and Cooper Webb. Lawrence never put a wheel wrong from there, crossing the line 7.1 seconds ahead of Webb, who fought through from outside the top 10 for his first podium in four races. Roczen recovered to third for a fourth consecutive podium finish.

Tomac, who had been the fastest qualifier and won his Heat Race, never factored at the front of the Main Event. He ran as high as eighth before a late crash dropped him to 12th, equaling his worst result of the season.

With four races remaining, Lawrence leads the championship by 10 points over Roczen, who moved from third to second in the standings. Tomac sits third, 15 points out of the lead after sharing the red plate heading into Nashville.

"I'm so happy my wrist wasn't holding me back today," Lawrence said. "Every Saturday I want to go out and have no limitations holding me back from anything."

Webb acknowledged the work still ahead. "I had another terrible start, which is not how you want to draw it up. We've got some work to do to catch that lead group, but I'll take the podium after the past few weekends."