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Ferrari shifts Hamilton's engineer to academy role
Riccardo Adami, Lewis Hamilton's race engineer during the 2025 Formula 1 campaign, has been reassigned to oversee Ferrari's driver academy and historic car testing program.
Ferrari confirmed the move in a statement on Saturday but did not mention Hamilton directly. The team stated, "The appointment of the new race engineer for car number 44 will be announced in due course."
Communication tensions during 2025 season
Speculation about friction between Hamilton and Adami persisted throughout the year, though the seven-time world champion repeatedly denied any issues, describing their relationship as "fine."
Radio exchanges between the two often appeared strained, including a notable moment during the Abu Dhabi finale when Hamilton instructed Adami to stop identifying competitors ahead of him on track.
"Stop telling me I'm racing people. I know I'm racing him, man. Just leave me to it. I'm racing everyone ahead of me."
Lewis Hamilton, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix radio exchange
Role of a race engineer in F1
A driver's race engineer serves as a critical link between the cockpit and the pit wall, advising on car adjustments and strategy. The position often blends technical expertise with psychological support.
Hamilton's long-standing partnership with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes spanned 12 years, highlighting the importance of trust in the role.
Hamilton's challenging debut season at Ferrari
The 41-year-old Briton struggled to match teammate Charles Leclerc in his first year with the Scuderia, finishing 84 points behind in the championship.
Leclerc outqualified Hamilton 22-7, with an average lap-time advantage of 0.15 seconds. Hamilton's average grid position was 9.5, compared to Leclerc's 5.6.
Hamilton failed to progress beyond the first qualifying segment in the final three races of the season.
Adami's history with Ferrari drivers
Adami previously worked with Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel, both of whom clashed with Ferrari's race operations at times.
Vettel's frustration with strategy calls during the 2017-18 seasons, when Ferrari's title hopes unraveled, was well-documented. Sainz also publicly questioned team decisions during his tenure.
New focus on driver development
Ferrari's statement emphasized Adami's "extensive trackside experience" as an asset for nurturing young talent through the academy and historic car testing initiatives.
Testing older cars has become a key tool for preparing rookies, given strict limits on in-season testing of current machinery.
