The ongoing uncertainty surrounding who will serve as Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer at Ferrari has raised concerns for former F1 driver Karun Chandhok. Earlier this month, Ferrari revealed that Riccardo Adami would shift to a different role within the team, paving the way for Hamilton to have a new race engineer for the 2026 season following a challenging debut race with the Scuderia.
While speculation abounds about Hamilton’s forthcoming race engineer, his teammate Charles Leclerc’s race engineer, Brian Bozzi, has been overseeing both drivers temporarily. This arrangement has left Chandhok puzzled. Speaking on Sky Sports F1’s Barcelona Shakedown Show after day two of testing, Chandhok emphasized the importance of a solid relationship between driver and race engineer. “As far as we understand, Brian Bozzi was managing the car today, including Lewis’s. It’s quite confusing because that bond between the driver and engineer is crucial,” he explained.
Chandhok further expressed disappointment that Ferrari hasn’t facilitated the development of these vital connections during the winter, suggesting Hamilton should have spent time in the simulator or test-driven a car to build rapport. He pointed out that integrating the race engineer into the team’s engineering structure is vital, and what the public hears is just a small part of a broader internal dialogue. Chandhok finds it concerning that testing is already underway without these key relationships being established, especially considering Hamilton’s disappointing previous season.
As for who will fill the race engineer role, initial reports suggested Hamilton’s current performance engineer Luca Diera might step up. However, new contenders have surfaced, notably Cedric-Michel Grosjean, who recently left McLaren and is rumored to be joining Ferrari. Italian media indicate Ferrari is awaiting the arrival of “a new person from McLaren.” Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater noted that Grosjean is currently on gardening leave and has shown enthusiasm for Ferrari. Yet, he has never served as a race engineer in F1 before, though he impressed with his data work while supporting Oscar Piastri last year.
Slater remarked, “If Grosjean takes the job, working alongside a seven-time world champion at Ferrari under the new regulations will be a significant step up for him.” However, Chandhok remains skeptical about Grosjean’s suitability due to his lack of race engineer experience. “It’s a tall order for Grosjean to start fresh with Ferrari, especially without a winter to learn their specific systems, given every team has its unique approach,” Chandhok said. “If I were Lewis, I’d consider this a wake-up call.”
Fan Take:
This scramble to secure a race engineer for Lewis Hamilton is more than just a staffing issue—it’s a critical factor that could heavily influence Ferrari’s performance and Hamilton’s success in 2026. For racing fans, this situation highlights how crucial behind-the-scenes teamwork is to a driver’s excellence and how large personnel shifts can ripple through the sport’s competitive balance.
