Scuderia Ferrari has confirmed a major personnel change for Lewis Hamilton's 2026 campaign, removing Riccardo Adami as the seven-time world champion's race engineer following a turbulent first season together.
A Fractious Partnership Comes to an End
The Italian team announced on Friday that Adami, who had been the crucial link to Hamilton on the pit wall, would be reassigned to a new role within the Ferrari Driver Academy as academy and test previous cars manager. The statement noted that a replacement for the pivotal race engineer position would be named "in due course."
This move follows a debut year at Maranello that Hamilton himself labelled a "nightmare." The relationship between driver and engineer appeared strained on multiple occasions, marked by terse radio exchanges. A notable moment came at the Monaco Grand Prix, where a frustrated Hamilton asked over the radio, "Are you upset with me or something?" – a question that seemed to go unanswered.
Hamilton's Demands for Change
Despite Hamilton publicly dismissing rumours of a poor working relationship as "BS" and praising Adami as "amazing to work with," the results told a different story. The 2025 season was statistically the worst of Hamilton's illustrious career. He failed to secure a single podium finish and ended the year in sixth place in the drivers' championship, behind teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.
The team fared little better, finishing a distant fourth in the constructors' standings, a staggering 435 points behind champions McLaren. Hamilton's frustration boiled over after being knocked out in Q1 at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where he spoke of "an unbearable amount of anger and rage."
He was unequivocal in his demand for internal changes, stating the team could not continue as it was. "My surroundings in terms of personal personnel, team personnel, how you utilise people, whether people need to move into different positions to work better, all these different things need to be looked upon," Hamilton asserted.
A Strategic Shift for Ferrari
Adami's sideways move is a significant signal that Ferrari's management is heeding its star driver's calls for a reshuffle during the off-season. Adami, a seasoned engineer who previously worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, is now departing one of the most high-pressure roles in the Formula One paddock.
The decision underscores Ferrari's urgency to optimise its operations and provide Hamilton with the support structure he needs to return to winning ways. With sweeping new technical regulations arriving in 2026, the team is under immense pressure to build a competitive car and a harmonious garage for its marquee signing.
All eyes will now be on who Ferrari selects to fill the vacant race engineer seat, a appointment that will be crucial for Hamilton's hopes of challenging for a record eighth world title.
