Hamilton Finds 'Italian Bono' at Ferrari for 2026

Lewis Hamilton believes he has found his "Italian Bono" at Ferrari after a difficult 2025 season. The British driver is now working with new race engineer Carlo Santi, who replaced Riccardo Adami.

Santi, who previously engineered Kimi Raikkonen to his last win at the 2018 United States Grand Prix, has been tasked with building a relationship similar to the one Hamilton enjoyed with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes.

Hamilton admits the connection with Santi was immediate, describing him as an "OG" who is calm and experienced, much like Bonnington, who helped him secure six world titles.

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"With Bono, it was a hit from the beginning. I feel like Carlo is my Italian Bono. I told Bono that the other day. He's a bit of an OG; he's been around the block and is very calm," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365.

Hamilton also emphasized the importance of precise communication between driver and race engineer. "We can dissect a problem corner by corner, from entry, middle, to exit. With Santi, we can go into that detail together," he added.

The 2025 season was tough for Hamilton at Ferrari, failing to secure a single podium. However, with Santi by his side, Hamilton is optimistic about a resurgence in 2026.

This change is already showing signs of promise in pre-season testing. Will the Hamilton-Santi partnership restore Lewis Hamilton's glory? The 2026 season will tell.