Lewis Hamilton has criticized Ferrari's decision to change his race engineer mid-season, calling it 'detrimental' to his 2026 Formula 1 campaign. The seven-time world champion revealed that Riccardo Adami, who served as his race engineer during a challenging 2025 debut season, is being reassigned within the team, with Carlo Santi taking over on an interim basis.

Hamilton expressed frustration that the change won't be permanent, stating he'll need to work with a new engineer 'a few races' into the season. The British driver emphasized that championship-contending teams typically have stable engineering relationships built over multiple seasons. His comments come after visible communication struggles between Hamilton and Adami were broadcast during races last year, though Hamilton described the decision to part ways as 'very difficult.'

The engineer situation adds another layer of complexity to Hamilton's second season with Ferrari, where he hopes to bounce back from a winless 2025. While the team's 2026 car appears more competitive under new regulations, Hamilton's concerns about mid-season personnel changes suggest internal challenges that could impact their title aspirations.