Lewis Hamilton was at the centre of the pre-season “market” movements, carrying out a substantial reshuffle of his entire entourage at Ferrari. The first major change was the separation from race engineer Riccardo Adami, who was promoted to head of the Ferrari Driver Academy and the team dedicated to TPC testing. This was followed by the departure of manager Marc Hynes and press officer Gabriela ‘Ella’ Kwaku Yeboah.
It represents a complete fresh start for the seven-time world champion at Ferrari. According to some observers, this reset could even prove beneficial, allowing Hamilton to focus more intensely on driving, performance and the development of the SF-26, a car that is expected to be particularly delicate and, at the same time, crucial for the future of the Maranello-based team.
Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 changes at Ferrari
The scale of the changes highlights how seriously Hamilton is approaching the next phase of his Ferrari adventure. With the arrival of the new technical regulations in 2026, every detail will matter, from car development to communication within the garage. For a driver of Lewis Hamilton’s experience, working in an environment that offers clarity and confidence will be essential as Ferrari looks to maximise the potential of its next-generation car.
Riccardo Patrese’s view
This is also the view of former Italian driver Riccardo Patrese, who, speaking to BetVictor, welcomed Ferrari’s decision to assign Hamilton a new race engineer. The identity of the new engineer has not yet been officially confirmed, but he is expected to be a former performance engineer of Oscar Piastri at McLaren.
“I believe that Lewis Hamilton will now feel better after changing engineer. From what we heard in the conversations between him and Riccardo Adami during the races, there were some frictions between the two,” Riccardo Patrese explained. “The race engineer is a very important role because he helps the driver find a certain level of confidence behind the wheel of the car. So, if Lewis was not feeling comfortable with his race engineer, having a new one will probably improve his mood and could make a big difference.”
“When I was at Williams,” Riccardo Patrese added, “even though the cars were the same, the team was the same and the opportunities were the same, the race engineer could really make a difference for the driver and also help improve the performance of that specific car.”
Could that difference even reopen hopes of an eighth world title? “I think he can do it. He has to start thinking that he can be competitive to win races. And then, if he manages to do that, he can start thinking about the championship. He has always shown that he is a fast driver, so if Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari starts performing again like he did before, with the opportunity to win races, then his confidence will grow. And if confidence is boosted, which he lost a bit last year, then anything can happen.”
The restructuring of Lewis Hamilton’s team at Ferrari suggests a calculated move to maximize his potential ahead of the 2026 regulation changes. By aligning himself with new technical support and stripping away distractions, the Briton is positioning himself to regain the confidence necessary to fight at the front of the grid once again. This strategic reset could be the final piece of the puzzle in his quest for an eighth world title.
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