Lewis Hamilton’s tumultuous transition from Mercedes to Ferrari has brought to light the strained relationship between the seven-time World Champion and his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. The dynamic duo’s rocky start has raised questions and eyebrows in the F1 community, with their communication hurdles becoming a focal point of the 2025 season.
Adami, a seasoned 51-year-old F1 engineer from Italy, joined Ferrari a decade ago and has since worked with notable drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, and Carlos Sainz. However, his partnership with Hamilton seems to be off to a bumpy start, with radio exchanges and misunderstandings plaguing their on-track performance.
While Hamilton praised Adami’s communication efforts after the Imola Grand Prix, their relationship took a nosedive during the Monaco Grand Prix, where misinterpretations and unanswered questions led to further tension. Speculations about a possible language barrier or cultural differences between the two have surfaced, as Hamilton’s former engineer, Peter Bonnington, took a different career path, leaving the British driver to navigate uncharted territories with Adami.
The Ferrari camp is not the only one facing communication challenges, as Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, has also had his fair share of radio miscommunications with his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi. With both Ferrari drivers grappling with internal issues, their performance on the track has been affected, allowing rival teams like McLaren to dominate the Constructors’ Championship race.
As the F1 season unfolds, all eyes are on Hamilton, Adami, Leclerc, and Bozzi to see if they can overcome their communication hurdles and salvage Ferrari’s championship hopes. Will these internal struggles cost Ferrari another shot at glory, or can they turn the tide and reignite their championship ambitions? F1 fans worldwide await the answer as the drama unfolds on and off the track.