Ferrari Assigns Hamilton New Engineer for 2026 as Red Bull Unveils Shiny Ford Livery

Ferrari has confirmed a strategic personnel shift for Lewis Hamilton's 2026 campaign, announcing he will work with a new race engineer as Riccardo Adami moves to a different role within the organization. Simultaneously, Red Bull Racing has revealed a striking visual overhaul for the upcoming season, ditching its signature matte finish for a shiny blue livery to celebrate its partnership with Ford—a change Max Verstappen championed.

Why it matters:

The synergy between a driver and race engineer is often the difference between victory and defeat, making Hamilton's engineering lineup a critical factor in Ferrari's title hopes. For Red Bull, the livery change is more than cosmetic; it marks the beginning of the Ford era and a reset after recent seasons, aiming to solidify their identity under new power unit regulations.

The details:

• Ferrari's Engineering Shuffle: Riccardo Adami, previously slated to engineer Hamilton, steps aside. Adami is a highly respected figure at Maranello, having previously supported Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, suggesting his new role will leverage his vast experience strategically rather than trackside.
• Red Bull's Glossy Return: The team reverted to a shiny blue paint scheme, moving away from the matte look established in 2016. Verstappen welcomed the aesthetic shift at the Detroit launch, noting he had been "asking for this for quite a while."
• Cadillac Shakedown: The Cadillac F1 team conducted a shakedown at Silverstone, offering the first glimpse of their 2026 contender. The team enters the grid with a confirmed driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
• Tech and Power Units: Tech analysis highlights the divergent approaches teams are taking to the new 2026 rules, which overhaul both chassis and engine specs. Meanwhile, Red Bull Powertrains chief Ben Hodgkinson addressed rumors of a "loophole" in the engine rules regarding compression ratios, dismissing the concerns as "noise about nothing."

Looking ahead:

As the 2026 season looms with its massive regulatory overhaul, these early indicators suggest teams are aggressively fine-tuning their operations. Ferrari's internal restructuring and Red Bull's fresh branding are the first steps in what promises to be a fierce battle for technical supremacy.