Ferrari have moved Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer, Riccardo Adami, to a new role within the team ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, following a difficult debut year for the seven-time world champion with the Italian outfit.
Hamilton endured a disappointing 2025 campaign after joining Ferrari, finishing the season without a single grand prix podium for the first time in his illustrious Formula 1 career. The 41-year-old struggled to extract consistent performance from an underwhelming car and was frequently heard expressing frustration over radio communications during race weekends.
Several of those exchanges, particularly during high-profile events such as the Monaco and Miami Grands Prix, highlighted apparent confusion and tension between Hamilton and Adami, who served as his primary link to the pit wall.
In a statement released on Friday, Ferrari confirmed that Adami has been reassigned to the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, where he will serve as Driver Academy and Test Previous Cars Manager.
“Riccardo has moved to a new role within the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, where his extensive trackside experience and Formula 1 expertise will contribute to the development of future talent and help strengthen performance culture across the programme,” the team said.
Ferrari also expressed appreciation for Adami’s service, thanking him for his commitment and contribution during his time on the pit wall, and wishing him success in his new position. The team added that the replacement race engineer for Hamilton’s car, number 44, will be announced in due course.
Hamilton’s first season in red was marked by adaptation challenges, as Ferrari struggled to provide a car capable of competing regularly at the front of the grid. While the Briton’s experience and feedback were expected to accelerate the team’s progress, results fell short of expectations throughout the year.
Ferrari are now turning their attention to the 2026 season, which will usher in sweeping technical regulation changes affecting both power units and chassis design. The team is set to unveil its 2026 livery on January 23, ahead of the first of three pre-season testing sessions, scheduled to take place in Barcelona from January 26 to 30.
With extra testing planned due to the new regulations, Ferrari will hope a reset—both technically and operationally—can help Hamilton and the team mount a stronger challenge when the new era of Formula 1 begins.
