SACK? : Intense Situation in Barcelona As Ferrari New engineer Bryan Bozzi is Reportedly S… Read more
Busy Week for Bryan Bozzi as Ferrari Engineer Guides Both Leclerc and Hamilton Through Barcelona Shakedown
By Hugo Harvey
It has been a remarkably intense and revealing week in Barcelona for Bryan Bozzi, with the Ferrari race engineer reportedly taking on one of the most demanding short-term roles in modern Formula 1: guiding both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton through Ferrari’s crucial shakedown running ahead of the 2026 season.
Ferrari’s private shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was always going to attract attention. With sweeping regulation changes looming and the Scuderia eager to reset after a turbulent 2025 campaign, every lap carried significance. Yet few expected that Bozzi would emerge as a central figure, effectively acting as the voice in the ear for both of Ferrari’s star drivers during the test programme.
Bozzi, best known as Charles Leclerc’s long-time race engineer, has built a reputation inside Maranello for clarity, calmness, and technical precision. His partnership with Leclerc has survived Ferrari’s most dramatic highs and lows in recent seasons, earning trust that is rare in the pressure-cooker environment of Formula 1. That trust now appears to have placed him at the heart of Ferrari’s transitional phase as Lewis Hamilton settles into life at the Scuderia.
According to sources close to the team, Bozzi was tasked with overseeing on-track communication for both drivers during different phases of the Barcelona shakedown. While not a race weekend scenario, the responsibility was still substantial. Shakedowns are where first impressions are formed, systems are validated, and early concerns are identified before full-scale testing begins. Any misstep in communication or feedback interpretation can cost valuable development time.
For Hamilton, the Barcelona running represented another important step in adapting to Ferrari’s working culture and technical language. Having already experienced a management reshuffle and changes to his engineering support structure, the seven-time world champion has been navigating a period of adjustment unlike any other in his career. Working under Bozzi’s guidance, even temporarily, offered Hamilton exposure to Ferrari’s established communication rhythms and data interpretation style.
From Ferrari’s perspective, the decision to involve Bozzi so heavily appears both pragmatic and strategic. With engineers and drivers still aligning on procedures for the new regulations, continuity and efficiency were essential. Bozzi’s deep familiarity with Ferrari’s internal processes allowed the team to streamline feedback loops, ensuring that engineers in the garage and back in Maranello received clear, actionable information from both cars.
Leclerc, meanwhile, benefited from having a trusted voice during a test that could easily have become fragmented amid the team’s broader restructuring. Sharing engineering resources, even in a limited context, also offered Ferrari a rare opportunity to directly compare driver feedback under closely matched conditions. Such insights are invaluable when shaping early development paths for a new-generation car.
The Barcelona shakedown itself was deliberately low-key, with limited running and conservative engine modes. However, insiders suggest the sessions were less about lap times and more about validating fundamental behaviours such as braking stability, energy deployment, and drivability. In that environment, the role of the race engineer becomes even more critical, translating subjective driver impressions into objective development direction.
Bozzi’s workload over the week underlined Ferrari’s broader reality entering 2026: adaptability will be key. With Hamilton bringing unparalleled experience and Leclerc representing long-term continuity, Ferrari must find ways to integrate both strengths without destabilising its engineering core. Bozzi’s ability to bridge that gap, even temporarily, hints at why he is so highly regarded within the team.
While Ferrari have not officially confirmed the precise structure of their engineering assignments moving forward, the Barcelona shakedown has already sparked discussion about how flexible the Scuderia may need to be in the early stages of the new era. Bozzi’s prominent involvement suggests that Ferrari are willing to lean on proven figures as they navigate uncertain ground.
Ultimately, it may be remembered as just a few days of running behind closed doors. Yet for Bryan Bozzi, guiding two of Formula 1’s most high-profile drivers through a pivotal test week was more than routine. It was a clear signal that, amid change and pressure, Ferrari still values stability, trust, and experience as it prepares for the biggest technical reset the sport has seen in years.
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