Why Pete Bonnington’s split with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes...

Why Pete Bonnington’s split with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes commitment comes as…Read More

Pete Bonnington, Lewis Hamilton’s long-time race engineer, has officially committed his future to Mercedes with a promotion, signaling the end of his partnership with Hamilton after the 2024 season. The move comes as no surprise to those familiar with Bonnington’s career, as his nearly two-decade-long association with the Mercedes team has defined much of his success.

Bonnington’s role at Mercedes has been pivotal, particularly in his partnership with Hamilton. After starting his career with Jordan in the mid-2000s, Bonnington gained significant experience, eventually working alongside Andrew Shovlin at Honda before moving to Brawn GP. As a performance engineer at Brawn GP in 2009, he played a crucial role in Jenson Button’s championship-winning season. When Brawn GP transformed into Mercedes in 2010, Bonnington remained with the team, becoming Michael Schumacher’s race engineer before being assigned to work with Hamilton when the British driver joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013.

Over the years, Bonnington has been a constant and reassuring presence for Hamilton, guiding him through both triumphant victories and challenging defeats. Their partnership has been one of the most successful in Formula 1 history, with Hamilton frequently crediting Bonnington for his calm and measured approach during races. This long-standing relationship has been compared to a marriage, with both men supporting each other through the highs and lows of their careers.

In 2021, Hamilton spoke highly of Bonnington, acknowledging the challenges they had faced together and emphasizing the friendship and loyalty that formed the core of their working relationship. In 2023, Hamilton echoed these sentiments, describing Bonnington as a “brother from another mother” and praising his ability to remain calm and offer guidance during races.

Despite their strong bond, Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari after 2024 meant that questions arose about whether Bonnington would follow him. However, the possibility of Bonnington joining Ferrari was always slim. One significant factor was the “anti-poaching” clause in Hamilton’s contract, which prevented him from actively recruiting Mercedes personnel to join him at Ferrari.

Reports also suggested that Hamilton had explored other options for his race engineer at Ferrari, with Italian journalist Giuliano Duchessa revealing that Hamilton had sought feedback from Sebastian Vettel about Riccardo Adami, Carlos Sainz’s current race engineer. This indicated that Hamilton had already begun making contingency plans for his move to Ferrari, further diminishing the likelihood of Bonnington leaving Mercedes.

Ultimately, Bonnington leveraged the speculation surrounding his future to his advantage. While the idea of continuing his partnership with Hamilton at Ferrari was intriguing, the risks associated with such a move were substantial. Ferrari, known for its high personnel turnover, would have presented significant challenges for Bonnington, both professionally and personally. Uprooting from the UK to integrate with an Italian team, without any guarantees of upward mobility after Hamilton’s eventual retirement, made staying with Mercedes the more logical choice.

Bonnington’s decision to remain at Mercedes has now been rewarded with a promotion, similar to the recognition Red Bull’s Gianpiero Lambiase received in 2022. Bonnington will not only continue his work as a race engineer but will also lead Mercedes’ engineering department, giving him greater authority and influence within the team. This new role positions Bonnington for potential future management opportunities within the organization.

The emotional moment shared between Bonnington and Hamilton at the 2023 British Grand Prix, where Hamilton secured his ninth win at Silverstone, hinted at the impending end of their partnership. As Bonnington’s voice cracked with emotion during the post-race celebrations, it became clear that this victory was one of the last in their illustrious 12-year journey together. However, Bonnington’s promotion ensures that his legacy at Mercedes will continue to grow, even as his time alongside Hamilton draws to a close.