F1 2026: With the 2026 Formula 1 season just weeks away, Ferrari still hasn’t named a permanent race engineer for Lewis Hamilton. For a team preparing for one of the biggest regulation changes in recent years, that’s a major talking point.
In January, Ferrari confirmed that Riccardo Adami, Hamilton’s race engineer during the F1 2025 season, would move into a different role within the team. Since then, the Scuderia has not announced who will take over the position full-time.
A temporary fix for now
As of now, Hamilton will be teamed with Carlo Santi temporarily for the early races. Santi has experience working with Kimi Raikkonen from when he was at Ferrari, so he is a good choice and an experienced member within the team.
Nonetheless, this is not a long-term deal.
Hamilton has indicated that he will likely change engineers again early in the season, putting him in a less-than-ideal situation. Hamilton explained that as the new season begins, the driver needs to create focus and rhythm; making adjustments to multiple engineers only complicates matters.
Race Engineers are the main source of communication for drivers during the race via radio; they manage strategy, provide feedback, and make split-second calls during the race.
Building a trusting relationship and mutual understanding takes time.
Hamilton also indicated that starting the F1 new season using a temporary solution will require him to go through a second adjustment period after a few races. Nonetheless, he stated that he will do his best and that the team will work towards keeping the transition as smooth as possible.
Why Ferrari hasn’t rushed the decision
From Ferrari’s side, the message is clear: they want the right person, not a quick choice.
The F1 2025 season was not smooth between Lewis Hamilton and Adami. Across 24 races, their working relationship never fully clicked. There were tense moments heard over team radio, and the operational chemistry expected at this level did not fully develop.
Ferrari appears determined not to repeat that mistake. Instead of naming a replacement quickly, the team is taking time to assess its options. Choosing a race engineer is not just about technical knowledge. It’s about personality, communication style, pressure management, and long-term fit, especially with new regulations arriving in 2026.
Why does this matter for F1 2026?
The F1 2026 season is crucial. New technical rules mean teams will start from a more level playing field. Small details, communication, strategy calls, and team structure could decide races and even championships.
For Hamilton, who is still fully integrating into the Ferrari environment, stability would normally be a priority. Changing engineers more than once early in the season adds risk. Every new partnership requires time to understand driving style, feedback patterns, and decision-making habits.
Ferrari knows this. That’s why the decision carries weight.
The team now faces a delicate balance: move fast and risk another mismatch, or take time and accept short-term instability.
In a season expected to be tightly contested, that call could shape Ferrari’s entire 2026 campaign.
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