Lewis Hamilton Set to Retain Ferrari Race Engineer Adami for 2026 Campaign
It looks like the voice in Lewis Hamilton’s ear isn’t going anywhere. Despite a rocky debut season in red that left fans and pundits speculating about a shake-up, reports indicate that Riccardo Adami will remain Hamilton’s race engineer for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
This decision comes after months of whispers in the paddock. Both Hamilton and Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur had previously left the door wide open for changes within the seven-time champion’s inner circle. But if the latest word from Italy is accurate, the duo is choosing stability over a fresh start as they look to put a disastrous 2025 behind them.
A Season of Frustration for Hamilton and Ferrari
To understand why this decision carries so much weight, you have to look at the wreckage of 2025. It wasn’t just a bad year. It was historically difficult for a driver of Hamilton’s caliber. For the first time in his career, Hamilton went an entire season without standing on the podium. The strain was audible.
Throughout the year, the radio channel between the cockpit and the pit wall crackled with tension. Hamilton, fresh off a 12-year partnership with Peter “Bono” Bonnington at Mercedes, often sounded out of sync with Adami. Adami is no rookie. He previously guided Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, but the chemistry with Hamilton just didn’t seem to click immediately.
Awkward exchanges in Miami and frustration in Abu Dhabi painted a picture of a relationship under fire. When Vasseur told the press, “We are evaluating all options,” it felt like the writing was on the wall. Hamilton himself fueled the fire at the season finale, admitting he needed to look internally at his “personal team” to find efficiencies away from the track.
The Dinner That Changed the Trajectory
So, what changed? According to a report from Auto Racer, the turning point happened away from the noise of the garage and the pressure of the grid. Adami and Hamilton reportedly shared a “very positive” dinner, hashing out the friction and resetting their dynamic. In high-stakes motorsport, the relationship between a driver and their race engineer is often compared to a marriage.
It relies on implicit trust, shorthand communication, and emotional management. Scrapping that relationship after one tough year is a gamble. You trade known issues for unknown ones. By sticking with Adami, Hamilton seems to be betting that their challenging first year has laid a foundation they can actually build on, rather than tearing it down to the studs.
Ferrari Insists the Bond is Stronger Than It Looks
Inside the Scuderia, the narrative has always been different from the public perception. Matteo Togninalli, Ferrari’s head of track engineering, has been vocal about defending the pair. Speaking in Qatar, he reminded everyone just how massive a shift Hamilton undertook.
“You are used to certain people. You are used to doing things in a certain way,” Togninalli explained. He pointed out that Hamilton spent a decade in a specific ecosystem at Mercedes. Moving to Maranello isn’t just changing cars. It’s changing cultures, languages, and operational philosophies.
Togninalli argued that the frustration heard on the radio was a symptom of losing, not of a broken relationship. “We are racers, he is a racer, so the frustration when we lose is massive,” he said. “I think the relationship with Lewis… is extremely positive.”
Eyes on the 2026 Reset
With the personnel drama seemingly settled, the focus shifts entirely to the machinery. The 2025 failures are in the rearview mirror, and Project 678 Ferrari’s 2026 challenger is the new horizon.
The team has announced a launch date of January 23, just days before testing begins in Barcelona. Technical whispers suggest Ferrari is moving to a pushrod rear suspension for the first time since 2010, a design philosophy that Red Bull is also expected to adopt with their RB22.
A Clean Slate Ahead
For Hamilton, 2026 represents a clean slate. The car is new, the regulations are shifting, and now, he knows who will be guiding him through it. Keeping Adami might not be the headline change some fans wanted, but in the chaotic world of F1, sometimes the most brilliant move is holding your line.
