Hamilton's 'Italian Bono' Carlo Santi Set for Extended Ferrari Stay After Barcelona Win

Lewis Hamilton's partnership with Ferrari race engineer Carlo Santi is now secure after the "Italian Bono" guided him to a breakthrough Barcelona victory. The decision ends speculation that Cedric Michel-Grosjean would take the role, cementing a bond Hamilton says has reignited his love for Formula 1.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's Ferrari tenure began with strained radio exchanges and a lack of synchronicity with former engineer Riccardo Adami, who was reassigned to the Ferrari Driver Academy. Santi stepped in as a temporary fix but has delivered four podiums in seven races, including the crucial Barcelona win. With Hamilton now second in the standings and 41 points behind Kimi Antonelli, a trusted voice on the pit wall could prove decisive in the championship fight.

The details:

• Ferrari had signed former McLaren engineer Cedric Michel-Grosjean as Santi's long-term replacement, but those plans have been shelved following the success of the Hamilton-Santi pairing.
• Hamilton has openly compared Santi to Peter "Bono" Bonnington, his longtime Mercedes engineer. The Briton noted that understanding a driver's needs "takes time to learn," but said the collaboration clicked immediately from their first meeting.
• The Barcelona win was Hamilton's first for the Scuderia and came as championship leader Antonelli retired with a battery issue, tightening the title race.

What's next:

With Santi's position secure, Ferrari can focus on maximizing the partnership through the remainder of the season. Hamilton will need to maintain this momentum to close the gap to Antonelli and mount a genuine title challenge in what could be a historic campaign for the Scuderia.