The comments made by Riccardo Adami after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix strongly suggest that Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari race engineer could leave the team in 2026.
It is no secret that the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami has faced several difficulties during their first season together at Ferrari. The seven-time world champion had developed a perfect working chemistry with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes, and adapting to a completely new communication style in Maranello turned out to be more challenging than expected. For this reason, throughout the season, there were repeated discussions about a possible farewell from Riccardo Adami, who previously worked alongside Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel.
The comments after the Abu Dhabi GP
At the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the subject returned to the centre of attention. Listening to the team radio between Riccardo Adami and Lewis Hamilton after the final chequered flag of 2025, it was noticeable that the Italian engineer was speaking in the past tense.
RA: “P8. You really did a great job out there, well done. Excellent recovery.”
LH: “It has been a very long season, guys. Thank you for your kindness. I’m grateful for all the hard work. I will always fight for you, always.”
LH: “Did you hear that? You didn’t answer.”
RA: “Yes, we heard you. Sorry, we were talking. Thank you very much, it has been very nice working with you. Thank you.”
Words that inevitably fuel speculation about a potential change on Lewis Hamilton’s side of the garage. The British driver himself had spoken about the need for adjustments to prevent a repeat of some of the problems experienced during the 2025 season.
Whether that means bringing in a completely fresh face or reuniting Lewis Hamilton with a familiar voice from his Mercedes past remains to be seen – but after one of the toughest years of his career, the seven-time champion looks almost certain to begin the new era with someone different on the other end of the radio.
