Scuderia Ferrari has confirmed a key leadership change ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Riccardo Adami, the veteran race engineer who guided Lewis Hamilton during his debut year with the team, is stepping away from the trackside role to take a strategic internal position.
Adami will become Driver Academy and Test Previous Cars (TPC) Manager, overseeing the development of Ferrari’s next generation of drivers and managing tests of historical machinery. His career spans Minardi, Toro Rosso, and Ferrari, having worked with Vettel, Ricciardo, Sainz, and Hamilton.
The move follows a challenging 2025 season for Hamilton. Despite a Sprint race victory in China, the seven-time world champion finished sixth in the championship with 156 points, failed to score a podium, and was outqualified by teammate Charles Leclerc 19 times in 24 races. Tensions on the radio, particularly at Abu Dhabi, highlighted the strain of the partnership.
The timing is critical, as 2026 brings major technical changes in F1. Drivers will manage active aerodynamics, increased electrical boost, and energy splits between combustion and hybrid power. Ferrari is redesigning its steering wheel layout to simplify controls and reduce driver workload.
Ferrari has not yet announced Hamilton’s new race engineer, but the change reflects a reset aimed at optimizing driver performance and team communication under the new regulations.
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