F1 2026: Lewis Hamilton's rebound relationship was always going to end like this

Lewis Hamilton looking miffed at the Qatar Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton rebound relationship was always going to end like this

The pair have split after a year together

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Sunday 18 January 2026 17:58

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The only surprise about Riccardo Adami and Lewis Hamilton splitting up as a race engineer-driver combo is that it took until mid-January to happen.

The pair's relationship was strained from the start, with the catty radio messages starting as early as the sixth race of the season in Miami, with Hamilton's infamous 'tea break' jab, and sarcastically asking if he should let Carlos Sainz past.

While the spectre of Sainz was certainly present in the background at Ferrari, there was a much bigger ghost haunting Adami and Hamilton specifically – Peter Bonnington's.

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Anyone who's driven in F1 will wax lyrical about how the relationship between driver and race engineer needs to be one of complete trust and openness, which is exactly what Hamilton shared with Bono for a dozen years.

Hamilton split sad but inevitable

A dozen years. That's not the sort of relationship that you can just casually toss aside and forget, and move onto the next one.

Yes, we're using the word 'relationship' on purpose here, because that's the obvious parallel here. Seeing each other practically every day, trusting each other implicitly with big decisions, having your own shorthand, not constantly getting on each other's nerves? It's reasonably illuminating to look at the relationship between driver and engineer as exactly that.

As such...who the hell comes out of a 12-year relationship and straight into their next one smoothly?

You know what happens to your rebound? At best, it ends quickly and amicably. At worst, you stay together long enough for them to remind you of all the things you miss about your old partner. You notice all the awkward pauses, the silences your ex used to fill effortlessly, the things they just don't quite understand the same way. Then you break up.

That's not anyone's fault, but it often takes a rebound like that to get the long-time partner out of your system. Next time out, you'll find someone and be able to judge them by who they are, not who they aren't.

None of that means that the next person's going to be right for you, but it means that they've got a chance. Adami never had that with Hamilton.

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F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Riccardo Adami