Hamilton: Ferrari's engineer situation 'detrimental' to 2026 season

Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari's decision to enter his second season without a permanent race engineer will be "detrimental" to his campaign, creating instability as the team works on an interim solution. The seven-time champion confirmed the temporary arrangement will change again early in the season, forcing another adjustment period.

Why it matters:

A stable driver-engineer partnership is critical in Formula 1, especially for a driver integrating into a new team. Hamilton's comments highlight a significant operational challenge for Ferrari, potentially hindering their ability to provide a seamless support system and extract maximum performance from their star signing during a crucial building year.

The details:

• Ferrari moved Hamilton's 2025 race engineer, Riccardo Adami, to a different role within the organization in January, leaving the position vacant.
• The team has appointed Carlo Santi, who previously worked with Kimi Raikkonen, on an interim basis, but this is not a long-term solution.
• Hamilton confirmed the temporary nature of the setup, stating it will last only "a few races" before another change is required early in the season.
• He described the situation as detrimental, emphasizing the value of having an experienced engineer who has "been through thick and thin."
• Despite reported communication struggles broadcast over team radio last year, Hamilton called the decision to move Adami "very difficult" and expressed gratitude for his patience and effort during a challenging debut season.

What's next:

Ferrari faces pressure to finalize a permanent race engineer appointment quickly to minimize disruption. Hamilton's ability to build a strong, consistent working relationship with his new engineer will be a key subplot to watch in the opening races, as it could impact his and the team's early-season momentum and development feedback.