Ferrari is reportedly looking to appoint a former McLaren executive as Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The seven-time world champion will have a fresh race engineer following Riccardo Adami’s shift to a new position within Ferrari’s driver academy.
At a recent test at Ferrari’s Fiorano track, Charles Leclerc’s race engineer, Brian Bozzi, oversaw the sessions for both Leclerc and Hamilton. Bozzi is also expected to manage Ferrari’s single-car runs during the upcoming Barcelona shakedown. Meanwhile, Ferrari continues to actively search for Hamilton’s next race engineer amid widespread speculation.
According to Italian media outlet Corriere dello Sport, Ferrari seems to be awaiting a new appointment from McLaren’s ranks. This individual is believed to be Cedric Michel Grosjean, who recently served as McLaren’s lead trackside performance engineer and worked closely with driver Oscar Piastri before departing at the end of the 2025 season. Grosjean is currently on a professional break, as noted on his LinkedIn profile. Notably, he showed interest in a Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur post about the team’s new SF-26 car.
On the other hand, Luca Diera, who currently acts as Hamilton’s performance engineer, is also rumored to be in consideration for the race engineer role. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft commented that the change “will put pressure on” Hamilton, who turned 41 earlier this month. Croft explained on the F1 Show that while the previous relationship wasn’t ideal, good management aims to effectively integrate team members, and unfortunately, that was not the case here.
He added, “This change undoubtedly adds pressure on Lewis, but he has more than enough skill to handle it. I hope he finds comfort in working alongside an engineer with whom he can build a stronger connection. Ferrari has capable people ready to take on new challenges, and Lewis is likely aware of that.”
Fan Take: This engineering switch is a crucial development for Hamilton and Ferrari, as the partnership between driver and race engineer is key to on-track success. If Ferrari brings in a strong new race engineer, it could boost Hamilton’s performance and shake up the competitive dynamics as the sport heads into 2026.
