'My Italian Bono!' – Hamilton Hails Ferrari Engineer as Form Improves

Lewis Hamilton says he feels like he has "managed to move a lot of things on the chessboard" in his second season at Ferrari, crediting his new race engineer Carlo Santi as his "Italian Bono" after a positive start to 2026. The seven-time champion heads into the Monaco Grand Prix on the back of his best Ferrari result – second place in Montreal – with two podiums in five races, a stark contrast to none across all of 2025. Hamilton admitted it took time to adjust after 13 years at Mercedes, but now believes he and the team are in a far better place.

Why it matters:

The driver-engineer relationship is critical in F1. Hamilton's legendary partnership with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes produced six championships. After a rocky 2025 with Riccardo Adami, where team radio discussions often revealed friction, the switch to Santi – an experienced, calm veteran – appears to have restored harmony and unlocked performance. This chemistry could be the key to Ferrari finally mounting a consistent title challenge.

The Details:

• Hamilton says he has "repositioned myself within the team" and "managed to move a lot of things on the chessboard." He praised Santi's understanding of corner balance and engineering feedback, noting their collaboration allows deep dissection of corner sections: entry, main, exit.
• Santi, an Italian engineer with decades of experience, replaced Adami on an interim basis. Sky Sports News understands no further changes are planned. Hamilton described him as "a bit of an OG" who is "very calm" on the radio – a style reminiscent of Bonnington.
• Hamilton told Bonnington that Santi is "my Italian Bono." He added: "Having that driver-engineer collab, it's hit and miss sometimes. With me and Bono, it hit off from the beginning. I do feel like Carlo is like my Italian Bono."
• Hamilton emphasized the importance of an engineer interpreting driver feedback: "When you describe the problem you have, corner by corner, having that understanding of all the elements is crucial." He feels Santi delivers that.
• Hamilton also highlighted his input into this year's car: "I feel like I've had input into this year's car and it's moving in a direction that I particularly like."
• Ferrari's 2026 car has proven strong in slow-speed corners, making Monaco a favorable circuit. Rival drivers Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli have tipped Ferrari as favorites.
• Hamilton downplays hype: "I'm not listening to any of it. Our car is good in low speed, but I don't think we'll be the quickest, especially with the Mercedes upgrade."

What's Next:

The Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. Hamilton is a three-time winner in the Principality, while teammate Charles Leclerc won his home race in 2024 and finished second last year. Ferrari's low-speed advantage could give them a genuine shot at victory, but Hamilton remains cautious: "It's not a given that we're going to be competitive everywhere we go." He acknowledges the long straights hurt them in Montreal, but Monaco minimizes that weakness.