Several employees at Mercedes may choose to follow Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari, including his race engineer, Peter Bonnington. Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes, has disclosed that he has already had a conversation with Bonnington, also known as Bono, after Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton’s association with Mercedes dates back to when he was just 13 years old, and both parties have benefited greatly from their partnership, making them the most successful duo in Formula 1 history. Nevertheless, the seven-time World Champion believes it is time for a change and wants to join Ferrari before retiring from his career. Racing for Ferrari is a privilege that only a few drivers get to experience, and Hamilton has expressed his desire to do so in the past. His dream will come true next year as he replaces Carlos Sainz as part of a two-year deal with the Maranello-based team. This means that Hamilton will compete in the new power unit regulations as a member of the Ferrari team in 2026. The question now is, who will follow the 39-year-old driver from Mercedes to Ferrari?
Riccardo Musconi, Mercedes’ head of track performance, is rumored to be interested in joining Hamilton at Ferrari. Wolff has already had discussions with Hamilton’s race engineer, Bono. Bono has been working with Hamilton since 2013, and they have achieved six of Hamilton’s seven titles together. Given their long-standing partnership, there is speculation about whether Bono will also leave Mercedes and follow Hamilton to Ferrari. This matter will be addressed in the future. Interestingly, when Wolff initially informed Bono about Hamilton’s departure in 2024, the race engineer questioned whether it was April Fools’ Day. The topic of who will join Hamilton at Ferrari is a discussion that everyone involved will need to have in the coming months, as Wolff explained in an interview with AUTOhebdo. He has already spoken to Bono, who jokingly asked if it was April 1st when he heard the news about Hamilton’s move. This is a topic that will be further explored in the future.
