Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up about the challenges of adjusting to life without his long-time race engineer, Riccardo Adami, calling the decision to part ways a "difficult decision" and acknowledging the potential impact on his performance this season.

Adami, who previously worked with Hamilton at Ferrari, has transitioned into a role within the teams Academy, leaving Hamilton to adapt to a new engineering dynamic just after his first season with the Scuderia. Stepping in as the interim replacement is Carlo Santi, a veteran engineer known for his work with Kimi Raikkonen and experience operating from Ferraris remote garage.

Speaking during the official pre-season testing in Bahrain (February 1113 and 1820), Hamilton expressed concern over the temporary nature of the arrangement, suggesting it could be detrimental as the season gets underway.



Firstly, with Riccardo it was a pretty difficult decision to make, and Im really, really grateful for all the effort he put in last year, and his patience it was a difficult year for us all,

Its actually quite a difficult era, because its not long-term, the solution that I currently have its only a few races, and so early on into the season its going to all be switching up again and Ill have to learn to work with someone new. So thats detrimental for me too, [going into] a season where you want to arrive with people that have done multiple seasons, that have been through thick and thin, and I cant.

But it is the situation that Im faced with, and Ill try and do the best that I can. The team is trying to do the best they can to make it as seamless as possible.

Hamiltons comments highlight the crucial role race engineers play in Formula 1, where split-second decisions and seamless communication between driver and engineer can significantly influence performance. The uncertainty surrounding a permanent replacement could disrupt the continuity Hamilton has relied on throughout his dominant career.

The upcoming Australian Grand Prix, set for March 68, will be the first true test of how well Hamilton and his new engineering team can gel under race conditions. As Ferrari aims to close the gap to Red Bull and McLaren, ensuring stability within Hamiltons race operations will be a key priority.