Hamilton seeks new Ferrari engineer as Adami departs and Bono reunion is ruled out

Lewis Hamilton faces a critical personnel void at Ferrari after Riccardo Adami stepped down from his race engineer role just days before pre-season testing. The seven-time world champion's preferred option to reunite with his long-time Mercedes ally Peter "Bono" Bonnington has been firmly rejected, leaving him in search of a new trusted voice on the pit wall for the 2026 campaign.

Why it matters:

The synergy between a driver and race engineer is often the difference between victory and defeat in Formula 1. As Hamilton adapts to a new team and regulations, establishing immediate rapport with an engineer who understands his precise feedback style is essential for Ferrari to mount a serious title challenge.

The details:

• Current Situation: Riccardo Adami transitions to Ferrari's Driver Academy and Test Previous Cars Manager following a season marked by communication struggles and viral radio mishaps.
• The Bono Block: Hamilton hoped to bring Peter Bonnington to Maranello, but the veteran engineer will continue mentoring Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli.
• Historical Context:
  • Philip Prew: The engineer who guided Hamilton during his rookie 2007 season and 2008 championship victory at McLaren. Prew, a former engineer for Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard, now holds a senior position at Red Bull Powertrains.
  • Mark Slade: Served as Hamilton's performance engineer before taking over the race engineer role in 2012. Slade remained at McLaren, climbing the ladder to become Technical Director – Performance.

What's next:

Ferrari must act swiftly to appoint a successor who can bridge the gap between Hamilton's experience and the team's operational structure. The incoming engineer faces the immense pressure of integrating a legendary driver into a new environment with minimal preparation time.