Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur hints at potential race engineer change for Lewis Hamilton in 2026

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur hints at potential race engineer change for Lewis Hamilton in 2026. Hamilton and Adami, Ferrari reflects on future collaboration.

Lewis Hamilton, Riccardo Adami, Ferrari 2025 F1

Hamilton, what is the next step?

During Ferrari’s traditional Christmas lunch, team principal Frederic Vasseur was asked several questions regarding the results crisis that affected Lewis Hamilton throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season. In particular, the French manager was questioned about whether a reshuffle among the engineers working with the seven-time world champion could be considered in order to improve his performance.

On several occasions, the internal communication between Riccardo Adami, Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer, and the British driver did not appear to function as a perfectly smooth mechanism. For this reason, Fred Vasseur was directly asked whether Adami will still be working alongside the Briton in the 2026 season. “We are evaluating all options,” replied the Ferrari team principal, a statement that clearly left the door open to a possible internal staff change within Lewis Hamilton’s working group.

Confidence in Lewis Hamilton remains

Fred Vasseur then went on to underline Ferrari’s continued trust in Lewis Hamilton and his ability to bounce back: “2026 can be a new page for him. Obviously, after 20 years between McLaren and Mercedes, it was difficult, a huge change. It’s not just about the food or the weather, but every single software and every single component is different. The people around him are different. And if you are not at the top in everything, you lose a couple of hundredths every time.

“I’m thinking about Budapest, in Q2 Charles was a tenth quicker than Lewis. And Lewis finished 11th, while Charles then went on to take pole position. We are talking about details, and we probably underestimated the change in culture, the people around him, and everything else.” – the French manager pointed out.

Fred Vasseur’s words highlight how Ferrari sees Lewis Hamilton’s first season in red as a complex adaptation process rather than a definitive verdict on his abilities. With major regulation changes coming in 2026, the Scuderia believes the next chapter could offer a fresh start, even if difficult decisions regarding team structure and internal dynamics are still being carefully assessed.