FEBRUARY 12, 2026

Hamilton admits engineer change detrimental

Lewis Hamilton has admitted Ferrari's reshuffle of his race engineering team is "detrimental" ahead of the 2026 season.

Following the seven time world champion's difficult first year with the Scuderia, it was confirmed that Riccardo Adami would move into a role within Ferrari's academy structure. Carlo Santi has now stepped in trackside, but Hamilton indicated the arrangement may only be temporary - with his permanent new engineer believed to be on 'gardening leave'.

Firstly, with Riccardo it was a pretty difficult decision to make, and I'm really, really grateful for all the effort he put in last year, and his patience - it was a difficult year for us all, Hamilton said during testing in Bahrain.

"It's actually quite a difficult era, because it's not long-term, the solution that I currently have - it's only a few races, and so early on into the season it's going to all be switching up again and I'll have to learn to work with someone new.

"So that's detrimental for me too, going into a season where you want to arrive with people that have done multiple seasons, that have been through thick and thin, and I can't.

But it is the situation that I'm faced with, and I'll try and do the best that I can. The team is trying to do the best they can to make it as seamless as possible.

The seven-time world champion also weighed in on the bubbling power unit controversy, appearing to side against his former team Mercedes.

With the exception of Mercedes, we all seem very close to each other, he said. "There are rumours of extra power that they have, and that we don't.

I hope the FIA will make sure everyone starts on a level playing field.

Finally, when asked about off-track speculation linking him to a new romance with Kim Kardashian, Hamilton declined to engage.

I'm not commenting on that, he said. That's private.

(GMM)