Ferrari delays Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer decision: Bryan Bozzi to pull double duty in Barcelona. Hamilton’s new race engineer decision pushed back ahead of Barcelona testing.

The decision on who will replace Riccardo Adami will take longer than initially expected. According to Giuliano Duchessa of Corriere della Sera, Lewis Hamilton will not have a dedicated race engineer alongside him for the first phase of pre-season testing. As a reminder, these initial tests will take place at the end of the month in a private format at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

This naturally raises a key question: who will work with Lewis Hamilton during those days on track? The choice appears to have fallen on Bryan Bozzi, the current race engineer of Charles Leclerc. The Italian engineer is expected to support both Ferrari drivers during this first portion of testing, overseeing track operations and ensuring continuity in data collection and feedback.

Is Diella really the favourite?

The replacement for Adami is likely to be announced shortly afterwards, before the team travels to Bahrain for the second phase of pre-season testing. Based on the latest rumours circulating in recent days, Luca Diella appears to be the most likely candidate for the role.

The Italian engineer is a familiar name to Lewis Hamilton, having worked closely with him in the past. From 2021 until the early months of 2025, Diella was part of the Mercedes team, where he was responsible for power unit performance on the British driver’s car. This previous collaboration could play a key role in Ferrari’s final decision.

For now, all that remains is to wait for the coming weeks, when an official announcement or an unexpected development should finally clarify who will become the new race engineer of the seven-time world champion as Ferrari continues its preparations for the 2026 season.

This temporary arrangement highlights Ferrari’s cautious approach to ensuring that Lewis Hamilton’s integration is handled with precision. By utilizing Bryan Bozzi’s experience in the interim and potentially bringing in a former Mercedes colleague like Diella, the Scuderia is aiming to minimize the learning curve. The success of this technical partnership will be vital as Ferrari looks to reclaim its spot at the top of the podium in this new era of Formula 1.