Lewis Hamilton has officially separated from his race engineer Riccardo Adami ahead of the new season that starts in Melbourne on March 8.
To the amusement of TV viewers, the pair squabbled over the team radio during Hamilton’s disappointing first year at Ferrari, and in truth, the parting confirmed had privately been settled somewhat ahead of the closing race of 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
The seven-time world champion finished without a podium position all campaign, lying sixth in the championship at the end. Troubles with his misbehaving car were a cause, but his regular spats with Adami were another feature of the malaise.
That was despite Adami, an 52-year-old Italian, being hotly recommended to Hamilton by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in a phone call informing him what to expect at the Scuderia in the Briton’s countdown to his £60million-a-year move to Italy.
Vettel and Adami hit it off during their partnership; Hamilton and Adami never did. ‘Leave it to me,’ was the gist of a regular refrain from the cockpit as tempers frayed, starting at last year’s opening race in Australia.
The chemistry just didn’t work, with the biggest public breakdown coming in Miami, when Hamilton was frustrated at not being able to pass team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton has parted company with race engineer Riccardo Adami after a difficult season
‘Have a cup of tea while you’re at it,’ exclaimed Hamilton, as the pit-wall boffins dithered over whether to issue team orders.
The quote highlighted an impatience with Adami’s instincts, which did not fit his own.
News of Adami’s sidelining was issued by Ferrari last night when they said: ‘We announces that Riccardo Adami has moved to a new role within the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, where his extensive trackside experience and Formula One expertise contributes to the development of future talent and to strengthening performance culture across the programme.
‘Ferrari would like to thank Riccardo for his commitment and contribution to his trackside role and wishes him every success in his new position.’
The identity of Hamilton’s new race engineer is still to be revealed but it is extremely unlikely to be his old Mercedes lieutenant Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, who was handed a new contract, plus promotion, in 2024 and is working contentedly with the Brackley-based team’s rookie of last year, Kimi Antonelli. ‘No chance,’ a source in Italy told Daily Mail Sport of Bonnington conceivably jumping ship.
Ferrari added: ‘The new race engineer for car #44 will be announced in due course.’
