Hamilton seeks better match with Ferrari race engineer ahead of 2026

Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari for 2025 landed him with veteran race engineer Riccardo Adami, but the pairing fell apart after the Abu Dhabi finale, prompting Adami’s reassignment in January. With a permanent engineer still unnamed, Hamilton has been testing alongside Carlo Santi, the former Kimi Räikkönen engineer. Former F1 driver and 2014 World Endurance Champion Anthony Davidson says the champion needs a “better match” before the 2026 season kicks off.

Why it matters:

• Driver‑engineer chemistry is a proven performance lever; Hamilton’s lack of a stable partnership could blunt his qualifying and race pace.
• Ferrari’s 2026 car is expected to feature a new power unit and aerodynamic package; a synchronized driver‑engineer unit will be crucial to extract maximum performance.
• A smooth start for Hamilton can shift the championship balance away from Mercedes and Red Bull, reshaping the season’s narrative.

The details:

• Riccardo Adami – previously helped Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari – was removed in early January after “teething troubles” in Abu Dhabi.
• Carlo Santi – engineered Kimi Räikkönen’s final win at the 2018 United States GP – is acting as interim engineer for the early 2026 races.
• Anthony Davidson told RacingNews365 that Hamilton “hasn’t had a chance to actually gel” with a permanent engineer, stressing the need for chemistry.
• Testing phase – Hamilton has logged several private test days with Santi, but the team has yet to announce a full‑time race engineer.

What’s next:

• Ferrari is expected to appoint a permanent race engineer within weeks, likely from its own technical pool or a senior member of the test programme.
• The new engineer will join Hamilton for the opening rounds in Melbourne, setting the tone for the championship fight.
• If the partnership clicks, Hamilton could accelerate Ferrari’s development curve and challenge the current front‑runners early in the season.