Lewis Hamilton will bid farewell to his long-term race engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season. The Mercedes figure will not be joining Hamilton as he moves to Ferrari, ending their iconic partnership. Since Hamilton’s switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, he and Bono have formed one of the most successful driver-engineer duos in history. Together, they have achieved six world championships, 82 wins, 78 poles, and 149 podium finishes over the span of 11 years.
Recent reports from Italy suggest that the 49-year-old Bonnington will not be making the move from Brackley to Maranello this winter. Hamilton apparently had a phone conversation with Sebastian Vettel to inquire about Riccardo Adami, who is currently Carlos Sainz’s engineer. The feedback on Adami’s qualities was reportedly excellent, indicating that Hamilton may be inheriting him as his new race engineer in 2025.
As Hamilton’s senior race engineer, Bonnington is responsible for trackside communications and car setup direction. He holds significant influence within the team and plays a crucial role in shaping the outcome of race weekends, which have often been successful for Hamilton. Their partnership has become legendary, characterized by memorable phrases like “Bono my tyres are gone,” “Okay Lewis, it’s hammertime,” and “Get in there Lewis” when Hamilton crosses the finish line in first place.
When Hamilton departs from Mercedes and Bonnington, he is expected to work with Riccardo Adami, who will become available when Sainz moves on to his next team. Adami, 50 years old, holds a degree in Chassis Area from the University of Brescia and has been working in Formula 1 since 2002. He quickly rose to the position of race engineer and has been fulfilling that role since 2005.
Adami started his career with Minardi and continued with the team when it became Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006. He has worked with notable drivers such as Vitantonio Liuzzi, Sebastian Vettel, Sebastien Buemi, and Daniel Ricciardo. Adami’s standout moment came in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix when Vettel secured a surprising pole position and Toro Rosso achieved their first-ever victory at their home race.
Since 2015, Adami has been with Ferrari, reuniting with Vettel and contributing to championship challenges in 2017 and 2018. After Vettel’s departure, Adami now works with Carlos Sainz. With his extensive experience in Grand Prix racing, Adami has engineered wins in multiple seasons, including 2008, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished engineers in Formula 1.
