was beaming with reward for brand new race engineer Carlo Santi, who he described as his “Italian Bono” after a much-improved begin to the 2026 Components 1 season.
Hamilton struck a title-winning partnership with Peter Bonnington throughout his 12 seasons at , however that relationship ended when the seven-time world champion joined in 2025.
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The Briton joined forces with Ferrari stalwart Riccardo Adami, who labored with Hamilton’s predecessor , however the two struggled to kind a very efficient partnership.
and the early rounds have seen him work with Santi, who was ’s engineer in the course of the late 2010s.
Though off-track commitments imply Santi is not going to serve at each spherical, with Ferrari additionally having signed Cedric Michel-Grosjean, he’s working with Hamilton in Monaco this weekend.
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“Driver-engineer working collectively may be very, essential,” stated Hamilton. “Adami and I had a very good relationship, he was a stunning man, we labored comparatively properly collectively.
Carlo Santi at 2018 United States GP
Carlo Santi at 2018 United States GP
“I feel catering to a driver’s wants takes time to study. Once you’re giving an engineer suggestions, they’re understanding by means of nook stability, they’re understanding all the weather that contribute to the struggles of driving.
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“You attempt to describe what it’s, the issue you’ve gotten, nook by nook, entry, center, exit, otherwise you dissect it into 5 sections if you need. Having that driver-engineer collab, it is hit or miss generally.
“With me and Bono, aside from the start, he had an excellent working relationship with Michael [Schumacher, Hamilton’s predecessor at Mercedes]. I do really feel like Carlo is like my Italian Bono.
“I instructed Bono that the opposite day. By way of, he is a little bit of an OG. He is an older man that is been across the block. He is very calm, you’ll be able to hear on the radio. That is the element that we’re ready to enter collectively. Our understanding of the engineering aspect, I feel it is one thing that is price taking a look at.”
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This comes amid a optimistic begin to the 12 months for Hamilton, who has claimed his first two grand prix podiums at Ferrari to sit down fourth within the championship and three factors behind team-mate .
It’s an unlimited enchancment from final 12 months, when the world champion struggled all through. However, he typically said that adaptation takes time with the 2026 regulation change being his shining mild.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
“What most individuals do not realise is the work that goes on that it’s a must to do within the background,” added Hamilton. “After all you see drivers previously like Kimi, for instance, who simply be a part of a staff and drive the automotive, and generally it really works, generally it would not.
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“For me, I’ve come to a staff that, as I discussed final 12 months, has all the things it must succeed, nevertheless it’s simply needing the items of the puzzle put in the fitting place to ensure that it to get there.
“And I have been 100% dedicated to attending to that time, understanding that it was tough, notably by means of the primary a part of final 12 months, it was very, very powerful.
“However as I stated within the final race, Fred [Vasseur] has been nice in working with me and serving to me. For instance, the engineer setup is 1,000,000 instances higher than it was final 12 months and I am beginning to see the fruits of that by means of how I am driving the automotive.
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“So, it is nice to have the ability to be part of working with everybody to maneuver the ship in the fitting course. We nonetheless have a protracted method to go and we nonetheless want to enhance in some areas, however I feel we’re on the fitting path.”
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