Lewis Hamilton handed drastic Ferrari advice to save key relationship as big change teased | F1 | Sport

Ralf Schumacher has suggested that Lewis Hamilton should ‘go on holiday’ with race engineer Riccardo Adami to fix their relationship for the 2026 season. Fred Vasseur refused to rule out a change in the Brit’s engineering squad over the winter after a difficult first season in Maranello.

Hamilton inherited Adami as a race engineer after replacing Carlos Sainz ahead of the 2025 season, but the duo experienced some teething issues as they adapted to their desired communication styles.

The seven-time world champion had previously struck up an iconic relationship with race engineer Peter Bonnington at Mercedes during their 12-year stint together in Brackley, but Hamilton was unable to bring his ally to Maranello. Instead, only Loic Serra and returning personal trainer Angela Cullen served as familiar faces at Ferrari.

In addition to a new environment, Hamilton was required to adapt to new processes and machinery. Ultimately, the first year in Ferrari red was a draining experience for the 40-year-old, who failed to score a podium and spent the season-ending triple header counting down the days until the winter break.

That isn’t to say that Hamilton didn’t work hard behind the scenes. The Brit attempted to learn Italian during the off-season and put together dossiers that were sent to the team’s hierarchy in an effort to improve the car.

Asked about those documents by Sport1, Schumacher said: “We all used to do that. The simulations weren’t as advanced back then. Today, things are different. I don’t know if anyone should be criticised for it.

“Hamilton should have been a little less public about it. Basically, I think he and his engineer should go on holiday together. The chemistry isn’t right. That’s a huge disadvantage.”

Schumacher was also asked whether Hamilton’s miserable 2025 campaign sullied his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. “Yes and no,” he replied. “Expectations were huge. I received a lot of criticism when I said he wouldn’t be competing for the World Championship and would need time to keep up with [Charles] Leclerc.

“That’s exactly how it turned out. There are no more tests. Winter tests would have helped in the past. But behind the scenes, you hear that he doesn’t like simulators. And he’s still looking for the driving feeling he used to have. That shows me that it’s not just his age, but also his mindset. He’s no longer willing to open up.

“I know this myself – on a different level. Frederic Vasseur now hopes that he will be more open to the package next year. I think the chances of that are slim. The car is becoming more nervous; Leclerc can handle it, Hamilton needs stability at the rear.”