Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur Issues Blunt Rebuke Over Lewis Hamilton Engineer Drama
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has delivered a sharp retort to ongoing media scrutiny surrounding Lewis Hamilton's race engineer situation, emphatically stating: "Please stop with this story!" The outburst came during pre-season testing in Bahrain as questions persisted about Hamilton's setup for the 2026 campaign.
Hamilton's Engineer Shake-Up Following Tumultuous Debut Season
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is approaching the new Formula 1 season without a permanent race engineer after ending his working relationship with Riccardo Adami. The decision follows what Hamilton himself described as "the worst season ever" during his debut year with Ferrari, a campaign notably devoid of podium finishes.
The partnership between Hamilton and Adami became increasingly strained throughout 2025, with frequent disagreements broadcast over team radio during races. This has prompted a significant reshuffle within Hamilton's engineering team as he seeks improved fortunes.
Interim Arrangements and Future Plans
For the initial races of the 2026 season, Hamilton will collaborate with Carlo Santi on an interim basis. Santi, who previously served as Kimi Raikkonen's race engineer during the 2018 season, currently holds the position of Ferrari's head of remote engineering.
The longer-term expectation within the paddock suggests Cedric Michel-Grosjean will assume the role of Hamilton's full-time race engineer. Michel-Grosjean, formerly Oscar Piastri's performance engineer at McLaren, is currently on what he terms a "career break" after departing the Woking-based team at the conclusion of the previous season.
Hamilton recently acknowledged this transitional period is less than ideal as preparations intensify for the new championship battle.
Vasseur's Forceful Defence of Team Structure
When pressed on the matter during media sessions in Bahrain, Vasseur mounted a robust defence of Ferrari's approach. "I think the collaboration between the team and Lewis on the pit wall is very good," Vasseur asserted. "He is high in confidence and very open to the relationship. My feeling is very positive, and we will continue to improve."
The Ferrari boss emphasized the collective nature of Formula 1, arguing that focus on individual personnel changes is misplaced. "If you go into the paddock of 22 cars, you have approximately six or seven new engineers each year, and the same with the team principals," Vasseur noted. "I'm probably the oldest one with Toto Wolff. You are changing three or four team principals each year, and it's not the end of the team."
Vasseur elaborated on the scale of modern F1 operations, stating: "The team today is something like 1,500 people. It's not about one race engineer. The guy that you see on the pit wall is leading a team of people working on the car, and it's not a matter of individuals. In F1, it's always about the team. It's never about an individual."
Critical Testing Period and Season Opener
The final pre-season test is scheduled for this week in Bahrain, running from 18 to 20 February. This crucial session represents the last opportunity for teams to refine their packages before the competitive action commences.
The 2026 Formula 1 World Championship officially begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March. Hamilton is confirmed to work with Carlo Santi during both the Bahrain test and the Australian race weekend as Ferrari seeks to reverse the fortunes of their star signing.
