In an explosive turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 paddock, Ferrari is reportedly preparing to terminate Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s race engineer, after a controversial Instagram post surfaced late Sunday night — mere hours after a tense Grand Prix that saw the Dutch driver narrowly miss the podium in Monaco.

The post, which has since been deleted, appeared on Lambiase’s verified Instagram account and featured what many interpreted as a direct jab at both Ferrari’s team leadership and Verstappen himself. The now-infamous image showed a blurred shot of Ferrari’s Monaco pit wall with a cryptic caption: “Not all lions belong in the same cage. Some bite back. 🐍 #TruthHurts.”

Insiders claim the post was made just minutes after an internal team meeting described as “extremely volatile,” where Lambiase reportedly clashed with Ferrari’s Chief Technical Officer over strategic miscommunications during the race.

Sources within Ferrari, speaking under condition of anonymity, say that Lambiase’s frustrations with Verstappen’s growing influence over team decisions have been mounting for months. “He’s been biting his tongue for too long,” the insider said. “But this post — it was the final straw. There’s no coming back from this.”

The scandal deepened after fans and journalists began circulating clips of Lambiase and Verstappen engaging in several heated radio exchanges during the Monaco Grand Prix. In one widely shared moment, Verstappen shouted, “What are you thinking, GP?! This isn’t Red Bull anymore!” to which Lambiase curtly replied, “Maybe you should start driving like it isn’t.”

That exchange, already drawing massive attention from fans, was only the tip of the iceberg.

Former F1 world champion and Sky Sports analyst Damon Hill weighed in on the situation Monday morning: “This level of dysfunction at Ferrari is not new — but to see it spill into the public eye like this, through social media of all places, is catastrophic. It’s a PR nightmare and a team cohesion disaster.”

Ferrari has yet to issue an official statement, but team principal Frédéric Vasseur was seen leaving the Maranello HQ late Monday night, reportedly following an emergency board meeting with senior executives from Ferrari and parent company Stellantis. A team spokesperson told Italian press that “the matter is under internal review,” but refused to comment further.

Verstappen himself has remained uncharacteristically silent. He left the Monaco paddock without speaking to reporters, and has not posted anything on his social media channels since Saturday. His silence has only fueled speculation that the relationship between him and Lambiase — once seen as rock-solid during their Red Bull days — may have fully deteriorated under the red banners of Maranello.

Fans across social media are divided. While some defend Lambiase’s frustration, others argue that posting cryptic, inflammatory content online was unprofessional and reckless.

One Twitter user wrote: “Lambiase deserves better. Ferrari’s chaos is the real problem. Max has too much power.” Meanwhile, another posted: “You can’t insult your team and expect to keep your job. He crossed the line. Full stop.”

This scandal comes at a crucial time for Ferrari. The team has struggled to find consistent form since Verstappen’s sensational and controversial switch from Red Bull earlier this season. Many saw Lambiase’s recruitment as key to ensuring Verstappen’s smooth transition. But with this latest fallout, the move is beginning to look more like a high-profile misfire than a strategic masterstroke.

Rumors are swirling that Verstappen’s former engineer at Red Bull, Hugh Bird, may be in talks to rejoin the Dutchman — though no official confirmation has been made. Meanwhile, Lambiase has reportedly been asked to clear his desk by Friday, pending the outcome of the internal investigation.

As the Formula 1 circus heads next to Canada, all eyes will be on the Ferrari garage. Will Lambiase be replaced? Will Verstappen finally break his silence? And perhaps most critically — can Ferrari weather yet another storm of internal drama, or is this the beginning of an even greater unraveling?

Stay tuned. This story is far from over.