LEWIS HAMILTON FINDS HIS ITALIAN BONO AS FERRARI ENGINEERING REVOLUTION FUELS HIS F1 COMEBACK
After a difficult first season with Ferrari, Lewis appears to have found the missing link that can help him unlock his full potential in red. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion believes a major change behind the scenes has played a huge role in improving his performances during the 2026 F1 season. That change has been the arrival of Carlo Santi as his race engineer.
Lewis has described Santi as his “Italian Bono”, a reference to his legendary Mercedes race engineer Peter “Bono” Bonnington, who played a crucial role throughout Lewis’ record-breaking years with Mercedes.
The comparison is a huge compliment. Bono was not just an engineer sitting on the pit wall. He was the voice Lewis trusted during some of the greatest moments in Formula 1 history, including multiple world championship battles and some of the most iconic victories of the modern F1 era.
Now, at Ferrari, Lewis believes he has found a similar connection with Santi — someone who understands his driving style, his communication needs, and the level of detail required to compete at the very front of Formula 1. For Ferrari fans and Team LH supporters, this development represents something much bigger than just a change in personnel. It shows that the foundations are finally being built for Lewis to fight at the highest level in his Ferrari chapter.
A Difficult Ferrari Start Finally Begins To Change
When Lewis made the blockbuster move from Mercedes to Ferrari, expectations were enormous. It was one of the biggest transfers in Formula 1 history. A seven-time World Champion joining the sport’s most famous team created global excitement.
However, the reality of his first Ferrari season was far more complicated. The transition from Mercedes to Ferrari was never going to be simple. Lewis was adapting to a completely different environment, a different car philosophy, a different engineering structure, and a different way of working.
There were moments during the 2025 season where the relationship between Lewis and the Ferrari pit wall appeared strained. Races such as Monaco highlighted some of the difficulties that come with trying to create a new partnership between a driver and a team.
For a driver who had spent years developing a perfect working relationship with Mercedes, the adjustment period was always going to take time. Formula 1 fans sometimes expect immediate results, but inside the paddock, success is built through communication and trust. A driver cannot simply jump into a new car and instantly extract everything from it. The engineer-driver relationship is a process that requires hundreds of conversations, thousands of data points, and a deep understanding of how a driver feels the car.
That understanding is exactly what Lewis believes has improved dramatically heading into the 2026 F1 season. After Ferrari made several important changes during the winter, including switching Lewis’ race engineer from Riccardo Adami to Carlo Santi, the difference has been clear. Lewis has already delivered stronger performances, including podium finishes at the Chinese Grand Prix and Canadian Grand Prix, showing that Ferrari’s internal adjustments are beginning to produce results.
Why The Driver Engineer Relationship Matters So Much In Formula 1
In modern Formula 1, the driver-engineer relationship is one of the most critical elements of performance. A Formula 1 car is an incredibly complex machine. Drivers are not simply reporting whether a car is fast or slow. They are explaining balance problems, tyre behaviour, braking issues, aerodynamic weaknesses, suspension characteristics, and how the car changes throughout a lap.
The information a driver provides must be translated into engineering solutions. Lewis explained just how important that connection is when discussing his relationship with Santi.
“The driver-engineer working together is very, very important,” Lewis said. “I think last year, Adami and I had a really good relationship. He's a lovely guy. We worked relatively well together.”
Lewis was also clear that building a successful partnership takes time because every driver communicates differently.
“But I think catering to a driver's needs takes time to learn. When you're giving an engineer feedback, they're understanding through-corner balance. They're understanding all the elements that contribute to the struggles that you’ve got.”
For Lewis, describing the behaviour of an F1 car requires extreme detail. It is not simply saying the car feels bad. A driver has to explain exactly where the problem happens and how it affects performance.
“When you try to describe what it is, the problem you have, corner by corner, entry, middle, and exit, or you dissect it into five sections if you want.”
That level of communication is what separates good teams from great teams. A driver like Lewis needs an engineer who can understand not only the words being said but also the meaning behind them.
Lewis Finds His Italian Bono At Ferrari
Throughout his Mercedes career, Lewis built one of the most successful driver-engineer partnerships Formula 1 has ever seen with Peter Bonnington. The chemistry between Lewis and Bono became famous around the world. Their radio messages became part of F1 history, with Bono often delivering calm and precise information during championship-defining moments.
Finding that type of relationship again at Ferrari was never guaranteed. Lewis admitted that these partnerships can sometimes be unpredictable.
“Having that driver-engineer collab, it's hit and miss sometimes,” he said. “With me and Bono, we hit it [off] right from the beginning. He had a good working relationship with Michael [Schumacher, who Bonnington engineered briefly before Hamilton at Mercedes].”
Now, Lewis feels that same natural connection developing with Carlo Santi. “I do feel like Carlos is like my 'Italian Bono'. I told Bono that the other day - in terms of, he's a bit of an OG.”
“He's an older guy that's been around the block. He's very calm. This is a detail that we were able to go into together. Our understanding of the engineering side, I think it's something that's worth remembering.”
Those words reveal how important Santi has become in Lewis’ Ferrari journey. The fact that Lewis has compared Santi to Bono shows the level of trust that is already forming between them. While Ferrari originally viewed the arrangement as potentially temporary, the success of the partnership has changed the situation. The strong connection between Lewis and Santi means the relationship is expected to continue moving forward.
For Ferrari, keeping stability around their most experienced driver could prove to be a major advantage.
Fred Vasseur’s Ferrari Changes Begin To Show Results
While the Lewis-Santi partnership has attracted plenty of attention, Lewis was also quick to highlight the wider changes happening inside Ferrari. Behind every improvement on track is a huge amount of work away from the spotlight. Lewis believes Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur deserves credit for helping create a stronger working environment.
“What most people don't realise is the work that goes on that you have to do in the background,” Lewis explained. “Fred [Vasseur, team boss] has been great. Working with me and helping me, for example, with engineers. The engineer set-up is a million times better than it was last year.”
That statement shows how much progress has been made behind closed doors. Formula 1 teams are not transformed overnight. Improving performance requires changes in communication, technical processes, car development, and organisational structure. Lewis believes those changes are now starting to translate into better performance behind the wheel.
“I'm starting to see the fruits of that through driving the car.”
One example Lewis highlighted was Ferrari’s progress with simulation and car development.
“Last year, testing on the sim and asking for certain things in the car. We have those today, for example, [like] the suspension.” For a driver, nothing is more important than feeling that feedback is being listened to. When engineers understand exactly what a driver needs, the development process becomes much more effective. Lewis is now seeing evidence that Ferrari is moving in the right direction.
Ferrari And Lewis Are Building Something Special
The journey ahead is still long. Lewis knows better than anyone that Formula 1 success requires constant improvement. A few strong races do not guarantee championships. Ferrari still has areas where it must improve if it wants to consistently challenge the strongest teams on the grid. But the signs are encouraging.
Lewis understands that building Ferrari into a championship-winning operation will require patience, teamwork, and continued development.
“We still are sailing and we still have a long way to go,” he said. “We still need to improve, for example, in some areas, but I think we're on the right path.”
That message will excite Ferrari supporters and Team LH fans around the world. The most important thing is not just the results. It is the direction. Lewis is no longer trying to understand Ferrari from the outside. He is now actively helping shape the future of the team. His experience, technical knowledge, and ability to communicate car behaviour are valuable assets for Ferrari as they continue their pursuit of Formula 1 success.
The Beginning Of A New Ferrari Chapter For Lewis
The story of Lewis and Ferrari is still being written. When he arrived at Maranello, many wondered whether the partnership would work. Some questioned whether Lewis could adapt after so many successful years with Mercedes.
But Formula 1 history has shown that great champions find solutions. Lewis has never relied only on raw talent. His success has always come from his ability to work with teams, understand technology, and push everyone around him to improve. Finding Carlo Santi as his “Italian Bono” could become one of the most important developments of his Ferrari career.
The combination of improved engineering support, stronger communication, and Ferrari’s continued development could provide Lewis with the platform he needs to compete for victories once again. For Formula 1 fans, especially those who have followed Lewis throughout his incredible career, this is an exciting moment.
The Ferrari journey is evolving.
The connection is growing.
And the fight is far from over.
Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari red may still have some of the biggest chapters of his Formula 1 story waiting to be written.
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