From Raikkonen to Hamilton’s side: The rise of Ferrari’s ‘Italian Bono’

Initially brought in as a temporary replacement for Riccardo Adami, Santi quickly established himself as a key figure in Hamilton's resurgence. The partnership between driver and engineer has grown stronger with each passing race, with the chemistry between the two becoming particularly evident in Barcelona. Throughout several decisive moments of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Italian was constantly on the radio encouraging and motivating Hamilton, helping to keep the Briton focused as he battled at the front.

Born in Verona on 15 February 1974, Carlo Santi built his career on a strong engineering background, graduating in Mechanical Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano with a specialisation in vehicle dynamics and automotive engineering. His motorsport journey began in endurance racing, where he worked as a performance engineer before making the move to Ferrari. Santi initially joined the Scuderia as a model engineer, playing a role in the development of Ferrari’s first driver-in-the-loop simulator programme.

Over time, he progressed through the ranks and became a key member of Ferrari’s trackside operations, eventually working closely with Kimi Raikkonen as the Finn’s performance engineer. Ahead of the 2018 season, Santi was promoted to race engineer, taking over the role previously held by Dave Greenwood.

When Raikkonen left Ferrari at the end of that campaign and was replaced by Charles Leclerc, Santi’s position within the team changed once again. With Xavier Marcos Padros appointed as Leclerc’s race engineer, the Italian returned to a factory-based role, supporting Ferrari’s Formula 1 operations remotely from Maranello during race weekends.

Hamilton revealed that he and Santi had never met or even spoken before beginning their partnership, making the strong relationship they quickly developed all the more surprising. The Briton explained that the two immediately clicked despite arriving from completely different backgrounds and without any prior connection.

After spending more than a decade working alongside Peter Bonnington, Hamilton admitted it had been refreshing to build a new bond with a different race engineer. With Bonnington now paired with Antonelli at Mercedes, the Ferrari driver said the opportunity to share important moments with Santi had helped create a new dynamic that he has greatly enjoyed throughout the season.

Although Hamilton described the Italian as a naturally reserved and understated character, he praised the impact Santi has had on him both professionally and personally. The seven-time world champion believes their partnership has brought renewed enthusiasm to both sides of the garage, crediting Santi with helping him rediscover the passion and enjoyment that first drew him to Formula 1.