Ferrari has appointed Carlo Santi as an interim race engineer for Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Barcelona tests, following the driver's request for a change from Riccardo Adami. The team is considering external options, including a potential hire from McLaren, for the long-term role in 2026. Martin Brundle believes the swap should have occurred earlier to address underlying issues.
Lewis Hamilton's technical setup at Ferrari is undergoing significant changes for the 2026 season. The seven-time world champion has parted ways with his previous race engineer, Riccardo Adami, who previously worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz. Hamilton himself requested the switch from team principal Frédéric Vasseur, citing a lack of chemistry after a challenging year marked by uncertainty and defeats.
As an immediate solution, Ferrari has turned to Carlo Santi, a veteran engineer known for his long collaboration with Kimi Räikkönen, to fill the role during the upcoming test week in Spain. Santi will serve as Hamilton's primary point of contact, with additional support from Bryan Bozzi, who normally engineers for Charles Leclerc, specifically for the Barcelona sessions.
A permanent appointment remains undecided, but reports suggest Ferrari is eyeing talent from outside the team, with a name linked to McLaren gaining traction. This move underscores Hamilton's push to rebuild his working relationships and regain competitive edge.
Commenting on the development, former F1 driver and Sky Sports presenter Martin Brundle noted that the engineer swap 'should have happened earlier,' adding that 'something needed to change' to improve Hamilton's situation at Ferrari. The team has remained tight-lipped on final decisions, focusing first on patching things up for the tests.
This reorganization highlights the ongoing adjustments within Ferrari as Hamilton integrates into the squad, aiming to rediscover his form amid high expectations for the new SF-26 car.
