Hamilton details crucial criteria for Ferrari race...

Hamilton details crucial criteria for Ferrari race… Read More

Lewis Hamilton has outlined his expectations for his new race engineer as he prepares to switch to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season. After Mercedes confirmed the promotion of Peter Bonnington to head of race engineering, it was also confirmed that Bonnington, Hamilton’s long-time race engineer, would not be following him to Ferrari. This development ends speculation that Bonnington, affectionately known as “Bono,” would continue working with Hamilton at his new team.

Bonnington has been a crucial part of Hamilton’s success since joining Mercedes in 2013. Together, they have formed a legendary partnership that helped Hamilton win six of his seven World Championships with the Silver Arrows. However, Hamilton is now facing the challenge of building a new relationship with a different race engineer at Ferrari as he embarks on this next chapter of his illustrious career.

When questioned by media, including RacingNews365, about the upcoming changes in his engineering team, Hamilton shared his thoughts on what he expects from his new race engineer at Ferrari. “It’s got to be someone you get on with,” Hamilton emphasized. He highlighted the importance of building a strong relationship and trust with his engineer. “It’s got to be someone that you ultimately are able to find it easy to build a relationship with and trust,” Hamilton said, adding that the discovery process will be crucial in determining whether the new partnership will work.

Hamilton also mentioned that he would know early on if the new relationship would be successful, but he believes that clear and consistent communication will be key to making it work. He stressed that the role of a race engineer goes beyond just technical knowledge and that compatibility and communication are just as vital.

As Hamilton prepares to adjust to the Ferrari environment, he acknowledged that it will be a significant change after spending over a decade with Mercedes. Despite this, he appears optimistic about the transition and ready to tackle the challenges that come with starting fresh at a new team. The process of finding the right race engineer will be a crucial part of his adaptation at Ferrari.

In addition to discussing his move to Ferrari, Hamilton also reflected on a recent race result that brought mixed emotions. He enters the Dutch Grand Prix as the most recent race winner, but his victory in Belgium came under unusual circumstances. Hamilton inherited the win after his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was disqualified. This marked Hamilton’s second win in the last three races, but the circumstances of the victory left him with mixed feelings.

Hamilton admitted that while it was a positive result for him personally, the team had initially celebrated a one-two finish. However, when Russell was disqualified, the atmosphere shifted. “We felt so happy that we had a one-two, it was the first time in a long, long time,” Hamilton said. “To be affected by something like that, we all feel the pain.”

The disqualification not only cost Mercedes a rare one-two finish but also valuable points in the Constructors’ Championship as they continue their battle with Ferrari. Hamilton expressed that the decision to disqualify Russell was the result of errors in the team’s processes, which ultimately affected everyone within the team. “It’s from decisions and processes that we’ve gone through and we’ve missed,” he noted.

Despite the disappointment, Hamilton praised Russell’s reaction to the situation. “George took it very well,” Hamilton said, indicating that his teammate handled the setback with grace. For Hamilton, however, the victory felt somewhat hollow. “I went away on my holiday, I didn’t feel like I won a race,” he admitted, suggesting that the circumstances of the win took away some of the satisfaction typically associated with a race victory.

As the season progresses, Hamilton and Mercedes are focused on closing the gap to Ferrari in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. With his impending move to Ferrari, Hamilton’s performances in the remaining races will be closely watched, as he aims to finish his time with Mercedes on a high note before embarking on his new journey with the Italian team.