Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes race...makes decision on...

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes race…makes decision on joining him at Ferrari. Read More

Lewis Hamilton’s longtime Mercedes race engineer, Peter Bonnington, has made the decision to remain with the Silver Arrows, ending speculation about a potential move to Ferrari alongside the seven-time world champion. This comes after months of uncertainty following the announcement that Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari at the end of the current season, concluding an 11-year partnership with the German team.

Hamilton’s success at Mercedes has been nothing short of remarkable, with six of his seven Formula 1 World Championships coming during his tenure with the team. Throughout that period, Bonnington, affectionately known as “Bono,” has been one of the most important figures in Hamilton’s corner. The 49-year-old race engineer has become a familiar voice to fans, consistently guiding Hamilton from the pit wall during races.

Since Hamilton’s Ferrari deal was confirmed in February, speculation began to swirl about whether Bonnington would also make the move to Maranello. However, the veteran engineer has now put an end to those rumors by signing a new contract with Mercedes. His commitment to the team includes a promotion to head of race engineering, a role that he will assume immediately while still maintaining his current responsibilities as Hamilton’s race engineer for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Looking ahead, Bonnington will continue to serve as a race engineer for one of Mercedes’ drivers next season. Although it remains unclear which driver he will work with, possibilities include current team leader George Russell, who is currently paired with Marcus Dudley, or rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a teenage sensation expected to join the team next year.

Bonnington’s career with Mercedes dates back to 2006, long before the team was officially known as Mercedes. Initially, he worked on Jenson Button’s side of the garage during the Honda and Brawn GP years, and later served as the race engineer for Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher. His wealth of experience and expertise has been a crucial part of Mercedes’ success over the past decade.

While Hamilton and Bonnington have enjoyed tremendous success together, a clause in Hamilton’s Mercedes contract prevents the Briton from directly recruiting colleagues to join him at Ferrari. Nevertheless, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had expressed some uncertainty earlier this year about Bonnington’s future with the team. Shortly after Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was made public, Wolff commented on the situation, saying, “I think this is a discussion which everyone needs to have in the months to come. And as much as I’ve spoken with Bono already, when I told him he said, ‘Is it April the first?’ That’s something which we will discuss in the future.”

Bonnington’s decision to stay at Mercedes ensures that Hamilton will face another significant change when he arrives at Ferrari. He will no longer have the trusted voice of Bonnington in his ear during races, something that has been a constant throughout his time at Mercedes. Instead, Hamilton is expected to work with Riccardo Adami, who currently serves as the race engineer for Carlos Sainz. With Hamilton set to replace Sainz at Ferrari, Adami is likely to transition to working with the British driver as he embarks on a new chapter in his career.

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari marks a dramatic shift in the Formula 1 landscape, with one of the sport’s most successful drivers of all time joining the most storied team in the history of the sport. As Hamilton prepares to make his Ferrari debut, his decision to leave Mercedes behind—coupled with Bonnington’s choice to stay—signals the end of an era. Hamilton and Bonnington’s partnership has been one of the most successful driver-engineer duos in Formula 1 history, but as the sport moves forward, both will be forging new paths with different teams.

In the meantime, Bonnington’s promotion to head of race engineering at Mercedes underscores the team’s commitment to keeping its core staff intact despite Hamilton’s departure. As Mercedes navigates the post-Hamilton era, Bonnington’s experience and leadership will be pivotal as the team continues to compete at the highest level of Formula 1.