Ferrari and Hamilton Go Separate Ways with Adami Ahead of 2026 Reset
Ferrari have confirmed a notable behind-the-scenes shake-up as they prepare for the 2026 Formula 1 season, announcing that Riccardo Adami will no longer act as Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer. The move brings an end to a partnership that lasted just one campaign and was frequently scrutinised during Hamilton’s first year driving for the Scuderia.
Hamilton and Adami were paired at the start of the 2025 season following the seven-time world champion’s high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari. From the outset, the collaboration attracted attention, with several tense and highly publicised radio exchanges during races raising questions about communication, working chemistry, and overall alignment between driver and pit wall.
Rather than allowing those issues to linger into a crucial new era of the sport, Ferrari have chosen to make decisive changes as they prepare for the sweeping regulation overhaul arriving in 2026. The reshuffle signals a clear intent from the Italian team to start the next chapter with a clean slate.
Ferrari confirmed the news in an official statement, clarifying that Adami will remain within the organisation but in a different capacity.
“Scuderia Ferrari HP announces that Riccardo Adami has moved to a new role within the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy as Driver Academy and Test Previous Cars Manager,” the statement read. “In this position, Riccardo will apply his extensive Formula 1 experience to the development of young drivers while contributing to the wider performance culture of the programme.”
The team also paid tribute to Adami’s work on the Formula 1 pit wall, thanking him for his commitment and long service.
“Scuderia Ferrari HP would like to thank Riccardo for his dedication and contribution in his trackside role and wishes him every success in his new position,” Ferrari added. “The new race engineer for car number 44 will be announced in due course.”
That final line leaves a key question unanswered: who will become Hamilton’s new on-track voice and closest operational ally next season? The race engineer role is widely regarded as one of the most critical relationships in Formula 1, often playing a decisive role in a driver’s confidence, performance, and race execution.
Adami’s Long and Influential F1 Career
Adami departs the Ferrari pit wall with one of the most extensive engineering résumés in the paddock. His Formula 1 career began in 2002 with Minardi, where he progressed steadily through technical roles before becoming a race engineer.
When Red Bull purchased the team and rebranded it as Toro Rosso, Adami stayed on and worked with several high-profile drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, Sébastien Buemi, and Sebastian Vettel during the early stages of the German’s career.
In 2015, Adami followed Vettel to Ferrari, acting as his race engineer throughout Vettel’s tenure with the Scuderia. After Vettel’s departure, Adami went on to partner Carlos Sainz from 2021 onwards, overseeing all four of the Spaniard’s grand prix victories in red and playing a central role in Ferrari’s gradual return to race-winning form.
His reassignment marks the end of a significant era on Ferrari’s pit wall, even if his influence within the organisation continues elsewhere.
Hamilton’s Ferrari Journey Enters a New Phase
Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 was one of the most dramatic transfers in Formula 1 history, but it also came with major adjustments. Notably absent from the switch was his long-time Mercedes race engineer, Peter “Bono” Bonnington, forcing Hamilton to adapt to an entirely new working environment.
Adami was confirmed as Hamilton’s engineer early in the season, yet the pairing never fully escaped speculation or criticism as Ferrari endured an inconsistent campaign.
With the team now resetting ahead of 2026, focus will inevitably turn to Ferrari’s next choice for Hamilton’s race engineer—and whether that decision can unlock the full potential of one of the sport’s greatest drivers as he approaches the final chapters of his legendary Formula 1 career.
