Ferrari shifts Riccardo Adami from Lewis Hamilton's race engineer role

Ferrari has decided to part ways with Riccardo Adami as Lewis Hamilton's race engineer, moving him to a role focusing on the Ferrari Driver Academy and Testing of Previous Cars. This strategic shakeup comes after a season where the driver-engineer relationship failed to solidify, despite early promise.

Why it matters:

The bond between a driver and their race engineer is critical for extracting performance, especially for a new driver adapting to a new team. For Hamilton, who struggled for much of the season relative to his teammate, this lack of synergy was a significant hurdle. As Ferrari gears up for the 2026 regulations, ensuring Hamilton has the right support structure is paramount to their title ambitions.

The details:

• Early Success vs. Late Struggles: The pairing initially showed promise with a Sprint pole and victory in China. However, the relationship deteriorated over the year, culminating in tense radio exchanges regarding track limits at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
• Hamilton's Instability: This change means Hamilton will enter the 2026 season with his third different race engineer in as many seasons, creating a challenge for establishing the deep rapport needed to challenge for championships.
• Adami's New Role: Adami, a former engineer for Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, will transition to a developmental role, utilizing his experience with the Ferrari Driver Academy and TPC running.

What's next:

Ferrari has not yet named Adami's replacement, leaving a crucial question mark over Hamilton's 2026 setup. The team will need to find a candidate who can match Hamilton's experience and communication style immediately to hit the ground running when the new regulations take effect.