Hamilton calls Ferrari's race engineer change 'detrimental' to his season

Lewis Hamilton has publicly expressed concern over Ferrari's decision to change his race engineer so early in the 2026 season, calling the situation "detrimental" to his performance. The seven-time world champion confirmed he will start the year with a temporary engineer before switching to another, forcing him to adapt to two new voices in quick succession during a critical phase of his integration with the Scuderia.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's move to Ferrari was already one of the biggest challenges of his career, requiring adaptation to a new car, team culture, and processes. Adding instability in his most critical on-track relationship—the one with his race engineer—complicates that transition further. A strong, consistent partnership on the pit wall is essential for extracting maximum performance, especially for a driver learning the intricacies of a new car. This disruption could hinder his ability to start the season strongly and build momentum.

The details:

• Hamilton's 2025 race engineer, Riccardo Adami, has been moved to a different role within Ferrari for 2026, a decision Hamilton described as "very difficult."
• The Briton will begin the season with a temporary engineer, but is aware this is not a permanent solution and another change will come after just "a few races."
• Hamilton emphasized the value of long-term continuity, stating he wants to work with people "that have done multiple seasons, that have been through thick and thin, and calm."
• He acknowledged the team is trying to make the transition "as seamless as possible," but admitted the situation is far from ideal so early in his Ferrari tenure.

What's next:

The focus will be on how quickly Hamilton can build an effective working relationship with his interim engineer and, subsequently, his permanent one. Any communication hiccups or misunderstandings during races could cost valuable points. Ferrari's ability to manage this internal personnel transition smoothly will be a test of its operational support for its new star driver. Hamilton's performance in the opening rounds will be closely watched for signs of whether this engineering instability is impacting his on-track synergy with the team.

summary: Lewis Hamilton has labeled the upcoming mid-race engineer change at Ferrari as "detrimental," revealing he will have to adapt to two new engineers in quick succession early in the 2026 season. He expressed a preference for long-term stability in the role, highlighting the challenge this presents during his critical first year with the team. categories: ["DRIVER", "FERRARI", "TEAM_NEWS"]}title: Hamilton calls Ferrari's race engineer change 'detrimental' to his seasonsummary: Lewis Hamilton has labeled the upcoming mid-race engineer change at Ferrari as