Lewis Hamilton reacts to 'detrimental' race engineer change at Ferrari

16:37, 11 Feb

byKada Sarkozi

Lewis Hamilton has addressed the fact that he is yet to have a new race engineer announced for the upcoming F1 season.

"It's only going to be a few races and so early on into the season it's going to all be switching up again and I'll have to learn to work with someone new. So that's detrimental to me too."

- Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time world champion began by explaining that he is grateful for Riccardo Adami's work during last season. The Italian was initially meant to continue alongside Hamilton in 2026 as well, but in the end, he was handed a different position within Ferrari.

Hamilton told GPblog in Bahrain: "It is, well firstly, with Riccardo, it was obviously a very difficult decision to make. I'm really, really grateful for all the effort he put in last year and his patience. It was a difficult year for us all."

Hamilton driving the SF-26 in Bahrain - Photo: Race Pictures

'No long-term solution'

The Briton also added that having this completely resolved will take up to a couple of Grands Prix.

"It's actually quite a difficult period because it’s not a long-term solution that I currently have.

"It's only going to be a few races and so early on into the season it's going to all be switching up again and I'll have to learn to work with someone new.

"So that's detrimental to me too. A season where you want to arrive with people that have done multiple seasons, that have been through thick and thin, and calm.

"But it is the situation that I'm faced with and I'll try and do the best I can. We are, the team is trying to do the best they can to help make it as seamless as possible," Hamilton concluded.

Follow the first day of the first Bahrain pre-season test with GPblog's liveblog here!