Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, has caused quite a stir with his recent revelation about a major shake-up in his team at Ferrari. After the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton dropped a bombshell by announcing a new engineer, Johannes Hatz, who happens to be the son of former Porsche executive Wolfgang Hatz. The sudden change caught many by surprise, as there was no prior announcement from Ferrari regarding any alterations in Hamilton’s team lineup.
Despite Hamilton’s cryptic comments about being “in a deep end” with his new engineer, it has been clarified that the switch pertains to his performance engineer, Johannes Hatz. Hatz, a seasoned German engineer with a background at Porsche Motorsport, Abt, and Audi, joined Ferrari from Red Bull’s junior team in 2024. The dynamics between Hamilton and his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, remain intact, with the duo gradually improving their communication on the track.
Hamilton’s remark about knowing his new engineer “for years” led to some confusion, particularly when he mentioned their past collaboration at his “previous team.” However, it turned out to be a misunderstanding, as Hatz never crossed paths with Hamilton at Mercedes. The adjustment mid-season has presented challenges for Hamilton and Hatz, with the former acknowledging the need to adapt quickly to their new working relationship.
Following a tumultuous start at the Belgian GP, where Hamilton faced setbacks in qualifying but managed a commendable recovery to finish seventh in the race, the spotlight has been on the restructured Ferrari team. While internal reshuffles are not uncommon in F1 teams like Ferrari, the impact of Hatz replacing Riccardo Corte as Hamilton’s performance engineer has garnered attention within the racing community.
As the F1 season progresses, all eyes will be on Hamilton and his revamped team at Ferrari, as they aim to overcome obstacles and strive for greatness on the track. The saga of the new engineer, Johannes Hatz, adds an intriguing twist to Hamilton’s pursuit of further glory in the world of Formula 1.
