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Lewis Hamilton Dealt Major Blow as Key Ally Snubs Ferrari Move
Sir Lewis Hamilton’s highly anticipated move to Ferrari in 2025 has hit an unexpected hurdle, as his long-standing race engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, has opted to remain at Mercedes rather than join the Scuderia. This decision is a significant blow to Hamilton, who has enjoyed unparalleled success with Bonnington by his side for over a decade.
Bonnington, often referred to simply as “Bono,” has been a crucial part of Hamilton’s Formula 1 career, working with the seven-time world champion since he joined Mercedes in 2013. Their partnership has yielded an impressive 84 race victories and six world championships, making them one of the most successful driver-engineer duos in the history of the sport.
However, as Hamilton prepares to embark on a new chapter of his career with Ferrari, it has been confirmed that Bonnington will not be joining him in Maranello. Instead, the experienced engineer has committed his future to Mercedes, signing a new contract that will see him promoted to the role of Head of Race Engineering, starting from the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix.
This development is a significant shift in the dynamics of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, where the British driver is expected to bring his wealth of experience and winning mentality to help end the team’s 16-year title drought. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has been actively working to assemble a top-tier team to support Hamilton’s title ambitions, and Bonnington was reportedly high on the list of potential recruits.
Hamilton’s relationship with Bonnington has been one of the cornerstones of his success at Mercedes. In a 2023 interview, Hamilton spoke candidly about their close bond, describing Bono as “a brother from another mother” and crediting him with being a calming influence during the high-pressure environment of a race weekend.
“I’m incredibly grateful for Bono. I’ve had an amazing journey with him,” Hamilton said at the time. “We’ve got one of the longest, if not the longest-standing driver-engineer partnerships in F1, and he’s been hugely integral to my success. We’ve supported each other on and off-track, through good and bad times, and I love working with Bono.”
Despite their close relationship, it is understood that a clause in Hamilton’s contract with Ferrari prevents him from directly approaching any of his Mercedes colleagues about joining him in Italy. This clause likely played a role in Bonnington’s decision to stay put, as Mercedes moves to secure its key personnel amidst the upcoming transition.
Bonnington’s promotion within Mercedes signals the team’s intent to maintain stability and continue its success even after Hamilton’s departure. While he will remain in the role of Hamilton’s race engineer for the remainder of the 2024 season, Bonnington is expected to play a pivotal role in guiding Hamilton’s successor, with teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli tipped to step into the seat.
Antonelli, who has been highly touted as a future star of the sport, would greatly benefit from Bonnington’s wealth of experience and technical acumen as he makes the step up to Formula 1. The pairing of a young, promising driver with one of the most respected engineers in the paddock could be a masterstroke for Mercedes as they look to build for the future.
For Hamilton, the loss of Bonnington is undoubtedly a setback, as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of his illustrious career. Moving to Ferrari represents both a new challenge and an opportunity to cement his legacy by winning an eighth world championship with the most iconic team in motorsport history.
However, without the familiar voice of Bonnington in his ear, Hamilton will need to adapt quickly to his new environment and build a new working relationship with the engineering team at Ferrari. While the road ahead may be more challenging without Bono by his side, Hamilton’s determination and talent have consistently proven that he can overcome adversity in pursuit of greatness.
As the 2024 season progresses and Hamilton continues to race for Mercedes, the focus will gradually shift to the future, where the dynamic within the sport will be significantly altered by his move to Ferrari. Whether Hamilton can achieve his ultimate goal of winning another world title remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: he will face the challenge without one of his most trusted allies.
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