Jock Clear reveals Ferrari tensions: “Adami was frustrated, Hamilton needed a reset”. Jock Clear opens up on the tensions within Ferrari during the 2025 season.

The former Ferrari engineer reflects on the tension inside the garage during the previous season

The resurgence of Sir Lewis Hamilton

There was a slight step back at Suzuka, but it is undeniable that Lewis Hamilton has appeared in the early stages of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship in a level of form that is not even remotely comparable to what he showed last season. Much of the credit goes to a significantly more competitive Ferrari, which is allowing him to fight at the front. However, it may also be linked to the reset he personally requested over the winter, which led him to overhaul his closest circle of collaborators.

As a result, alongside changes to his press officer and manager, the seven-time world champion was also assigned a new race engineer, moving under the guidance of the experienced Carlo Santi – while awaiting a future switch involving McLaren arrival Cedric Michel-Grosjean. Meanwhile, former engineer Riccardo Adami was reassigned to lead the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Jock Clear’s account

This reshuffle was also discussed by former Ferrari engineer Jock Clear, who admitted that frustration was widespread within the team during the 2025 campaign, speaking in a lengthy interview with the Ignition Casino portal. “I know that Riccardo Adami,” he explained, “was as frustrated as anyone else last year. It was a difficult year for Ferrari, a difficult year for Lewis. Perhaps the fact of starting again from scratch this time has given him a new perspective.”

“A lot also depends on the car and on the fact that he is enjoying a machine with which he can build confidence. Lewis has felt more comfortable, and that has made things easier for the team overall, not just for his race engineer. Of course, he would like to be right on the heels of Mercedes, and perhaps in the next rounds the situation will become tighter and he will be able to fight,” Clear added.

“A good relationship between the driver and his engineer is fundamentally important,” Jock Clear continued, who in the past worked as performance engineer for Jacques Villeneuve, Rubens Barrichello, Nico Rosberg, as well as closely alongside Michael Schumacher and Hamilton himself. “Not only from a technical standpoint. The race engineer is responsible for the engineering work and the development of the car, but during race weekends he must somehow balance high-level engineering expertise with a role almost like that of a golf caddy.”

“You have to instil confidence in the driver about what is happening, making him feel that everything is under control, providing him with the information he needs without overwhelming him with unnecessary details. In Formula 1, this is a very difficult balance to achieve.”

Jock Clear’s reflections highlight the immense psychological pressure that defines the relationship between a driver and the pit wall. The “divorce” from Riccardo Adami wasn’t necessarily a critique of Adami’s technical skill, but rather a necessary emotional reset after the grueling difficulties of the 2025 season. As Hamilton continues to adapt to the SF-26, the arrival of Michel-Grosjean from McLaren will be the final piece of this new support structure. For Ferrari, the goal is clear: provide the Briton with the “caddy” he needs to stay focused on the track while Maranello provides the horsepower to chase down the Silver Arrows.