Hamilton Hit With Early Setback in Ferrari Engineer Shake-Up
Lewis Hamilton has acknowledged that a key gap in his Ferrari set-up could negatively affect the start of his 2026 Formula 1 campaign, revealing that he will not have a permanent race engineer in place for the opening phase of the season.
The seven-time world champion, who is continuing his transition within Ferrari’s structure, confirmed that his long-term trackside engineering partnership is not yet settled. Hamilton recently separated from race engineer Riccardo Adami, who has since been reassigned within the Scuderia to work with the Ferrari Driver Academy and the Testing of Previous Cars programme. The change has left a temporary vacancy in one of the most critical working relationships for a driver heading into a new season.
So far, Ferrari has not officially named a full-time replacement. A shakedown test and the opening day of pre-season running in Bahrain have already taken place without a permanent appointment being announced, increasing speculation about who will ultimately take on the role alongside Hamilton on race weekends.
For the immediate term, Ferrari has turned to experienced engineer Carlo Santi, previously known for working with former world champion Kimi Räikkönen. Santi is set to serve as Hamilton’s race engineer during the Bahrain test period and for the first few races of the 2026 season. However, the arrangement is only temporary, and another change is expected shortly after the championship begins.
Speaking after completing his morning session in the new Ferrari SF-26, Hamilton admitted that the short-term nature of the solution presents a real challenge. He explained that building a strong and consistent relationship with a race engineer is normally a cornerstone of success in Formula 1, and not having that stability from the outset could prove costly.
Hamilton described the situation as difficult, noting that the current plan only covers a limited number of events. Because another switch will follow soon after, he will effectively have to restart the relationship-building process twice in quick succession. According to him, that kind of disruption is far from ideal when drivers typically rely on long-standing partnerships with engineers who deeply understand their driving style, communication preferences, and pressure responses.
He emphasized that continuity usually plays a major role in performance, especially at the beginning of a season when teams are still learning about a new car’s behavior and refining set-ups. Engineers and drivers who have worked together across multiple campaigns often develop efficient communication habits and mutual trust, something Hamilton says cannot be replicated instantly.
Despite his concerns, Hamilton stressed that he accepts the reality of the situation and is focused on adapting as quickly as possible. He said Ferrari is making every effort to ensure the transition is smooth and to minimize the competitive impact. He added that his priority is to work closely with whoever is assigned and extract the maximum performance available while the longer-term arrangement is finalized.
Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate about a potential permanent appointment. One name repeatedly mentioned in the paddock is Cedric Michel-Grosjean, formerly a lead trackside performance engineer at McLaren. Reports have suggested he could be on his way to Ferrari and may eventually become Hamilton’s full-time race engineer. However, the Italian team has not confirmed any such move.
Publicly available career information indicates that Michel-Grosjean departed McLaren in 2025, and his current status is listed as a relocation and career break beginning in January 2026. That detail has only added to the uncertainty, as neither Ferrari nor the engineer has clarified future plans.
Until an official announcement is made, Hamilton will begin the season working under an interim structure — an unusual scenario for a driver of his experience and stature. While he remains confident that the team will support him effectively, he has been open in admitting that the lack of early-season continuity on the engineering side could be a disadvantage as the 2026 title fight gets underway.
