The new race engineer of Lewis Hamilton is already in Melbourne, even though an official confirmation from Scuderia Ferrari has yet to arrive.
Following the split from Riccardo Adami, Lewis Hamilton is still waiting to find out who will become his new race engineer. Ferrari has not yet officially announced who will replace the Italian in the crucial role of right-hand man to the seven-time Formula 1 world champion. Over recent months, several names have circulated within the paddock, although none have been formally confirmed by the Maranello-based team.
At first, there was talk of a possible promotion for Luca Diella, Lewis Hamilton’s Performance Engineer and a former Mercedes figure. That scenario was later denied, leading the number 44 to work alongside Bryan Bozzi and Carlo Santi during the pre-season tests in Barcelona and Sakhir. The latter, an engineer who previously collaborated with Kimi Räikkönen, is expected to be on the pit wall during the opening races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer already in Australia
Subsequently, the race engineer role is expected to be assigned to Cedric Michel-Grosjean, an engineer who recently parted ways with McLaren, where he worked closely with Oscar Piastri. In the meantime, however, the Frenchman has already been spotted in the Melbourne paddock, as confirmed by several photographs circulating from the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
It is possible that Michel-Grosjean is already integrating into Lewis Hamilton’s working group and familiarising himself with all the internal procedures before officially becoming the new voice in the British driver’s ears. As a result, we may need to wait a few races before seeing the former McLaren engineer fully operational in his new role, with the Tifosi hoping he can establish a stronger working relationship with Hamilton than Riccardo Adami managed, as the chemistry between Adami and the number 44 was never considered entirely optimal.
The arrival of Cedric Michel-Grosjean in the Ferrari hospitality suite therefore marks a significant moment in Lewis Hamilton’s Maranello journey. The relationship between a driver and their race engineer is the heartbeat of any championship campaign, and after a 2025 season where the “feeling” wasn’t quite there, this tactical hire from McLaren suggests Ferrari is leaving no stone unturned. While Carlo Santi provides the necessary continuity for the Australian GP, the presence of Michel-Grosjean in the paddock proves that the Scuderia is already building the foundation for Hamilton’s long-term success in the new era.
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