Lewis Hamilton addresses Adami relationship after Ferrari breakup

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, 2026, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton addresses Adami relationship after Ferrari breakup

Hamilton and Adami had a rocky ride in 2025

Originally written by Matthew Hobkinson. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 17 February 2026 00:00

Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton has spoken openly about his working relationship with Riccardo Adami, and his comments may catch some people off guard.

The pair drew unwanted attention throughout 2025, as the seven-time world champion endured a difficult first season with Ferrari.

Awkward radio silences, tense exchanges and even on-air requests for tea became defining moments of a tough debut campaign in red, one that not even a sprint victory at the Chinese Grand Prix could redeem.

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The (unsurprising) news that Adami would no longer be Hamilton's race engineer for this year came during the off-season.

Reflecting on their brief time together, the 41-year-old had nothing but praise for the man now focusing on the Ferrari academy and nurturing future talent.

"Working with Riccardo Adami was truly wonderful," Hamilton told media at the first Bahrain test last week.

"The bond between a race driver and his engineer is crucial. Having such a change at the start of the season and having to get used to someone new, a new tone of voice, a new working style, was of course a challenge.

"Ideally, you would continue with a seasoned team that has known each other for years and weathered tough times together. However, rotations like this can happen within a team.

"Right now, I am focused on building that bond with my new colleagues, and we are trying to do our very best."

Who is Lewis Hamilton's new race engineer?

Well, the short answer is - he doesn't have one. At least not yet.

Bryan Bozzi, Charles Leclerc's race engineer, was in Hamilton's ear for the first week of testing in Bahrain.

It is expected that Carlo Santi, Kimi Raikkonen's former engineer, will take over duties for the first few races of the season - with a permanent replacement expected in due course.

If the rumours are to be believed, that man is thought to be Cedric Michel-Grosjean.

Once of McLaren, the lead trackside performance engineer left the papaya outfit in 2025 and is thought to be Ferrari bound.

One look at his LinkedIn profile might tell you all you need to know.

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Riccardo Adami