DETRIMENTAL SHIFT: LEWIS HAMILTON SLAMS FERRARI'S MID-SEASON RACE ENGINEER CHANGE IN BAHRAIN
Lewis Hamilton warns that Ferrari's race engineer change is detrimental. Analyse his struggle with the 2026 rules and Bahrain tests.
Lewis Hamilton isn’t shy about how rough his start at Ferrari has been. Now, with the team switching up his race engineer for the new Formula 1 season, he’s calling the move “detrimental”. Honestly, it just seems to be adding to his frustration.
The 2026 season kicks off on March 8 in Melbourne, and while most people are buzzing about the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton isn’t exactly riding that excitement. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, he sounded pretty uneasy.
Last year was brutal for him; he didn’t even make the podium, which had never happened before. After that, he split from Riccardo Adami, who had been his first race engineer at Ferrari. So, Ferrari brought in Carlo Santi, but only as a temporary fix. Hamilton’s not thrilled about that, either.
He put it plainly: “It’s actually quite a difficult period because it’s not long-term. The solution we have now is only for a few races. Early on, things will switch up again, and I’ll have to get used to working with someone new. That’s detrimental to a season where you want to show up with a team that’s been through thick and thin together and can stay calm. But that’s just where I am, and I’ll try to do the best I can. The team’s doing all they can to make the transition as smooth as possible.”
Switching away from Adami wasn’t easy. Hamilton talked about it in Bahrain: “With Riccardo, it was obviously a very difficult decision. I’m really grateful for all the work he put in last year, and the patience he showed last year was tough for everyone.”
For now, Santi will work with Hamilton during pre-season testing, and they’ll head into the new season together. But Ferrari hasn’t said who’ll take over the role for good after Santi steps aside. Hamilton is jumping into his 2026 Ferrari twice this week for testing, with the first race just around the corner.
There’s more change in the air, too. This season, the rulebook’s updated, and all cars will run 50-50 hybrid power units. Managing energy in the car just got a lot more crucial, and the connection between driver and engineer matters even more.
Reflecting on the car’s feel in Bahrain, Hamilton said, “Right now it doesn’t feel anything like what I’m used to, and honestly, it’s just too early to say much. We’re still testing all kinds of things, trying to find the sweet spot. The tyres aren’t right yet, the aero package isn’t sorted, and the ride height and mechanical balance—none of it’s dialled in. So I’m not judging it yet.
“Today, the wind was the wildest and gustiest I’ve ever seen here. We just had to deal with it and not read too much into the first day. Mornings here are never much fun anyway. But overall, like I said after the last test, this car is definitely more fun to drive.”
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
