Ferrari eye F1 rival in ‘raid’ that could transform Hamilton’s 2026 season

January 27, 2026 Oliver Obel

Ferrari’s search for renewed competitiveness under Formula One’s incoming 2026 regulations appears to extend beyond the drawing board. According to Italian media, the team is targeting a senior McLaren engineer as part of efforts to reset Lewis Hamilton’s faltering Ferrari tenure.

The potential move underlines how seriously Ferrari are reassessing their trackside operation after a difficult first season with the seven-time world champion.

A bruising debut in red

Hamilton heads into 2026 hoping to draw a line under what was widely regarded as the most challenging year of his career. His first campaign following the high-profile switch from Mercedes failed to deliver consistent results, and frustrations frequently surfaced over team radio.

Much of that tension centred on communication. Throughout 2025, exchanges between Hamilton and race engineer Riccardo Adami exposed a lack of alignment, a stark contrast to the highly refined partnership Hamilton previously enjoyed with Peter Bonnington during more than a decade at Mercedes.

Ferrari acted swiftly once the season concluded. The team confirmed that Adami would be reassigned internally rather than continue as Hamilton’s race engineer, signalling a broader rethink of how the driver would be supported under the new rules.

Temporary cover, long-term plans

In the short term, Ferrari opted for continuity. Charles Leclerc’s race engineer Bryan Bozzi, alongside long-serving Ferrari engineer Carlo Santi, were asked to provide interim support while the team assessed longer-term options.

Ferrari indicated the arrangement was temporary, with senior management keen to finalise a permanent solution once contractual constraints elsewhere were resolved.

Italian outlet AutoRacer.it reported that Ferrari are currently waiting for their preferred candidate to complete a standard Formula One “gardening leave” period before making the appointment official.

A McLaren connection

According to AutoRacer.it, that candidate is Cedric Michel-Grosjean, who has spent several years at McLaren and most recently held the position of Lead Trackside Performance Engineer.

During the 2025 season, Michel-Grosjean worked closely with Oscar Piastri, playing a key role in performance optimisation and contributing to the Australian’s technical development across race weekends.

While Michel-Grosjean has not previously served as a race engineer in title, Ferrari are said to view his recent experience and technical grounding as well suited to the demands of the role particularly at a time when teams are adapting to radically different cars.

For Ferrari, the calculation is clear. Pairing Hamilton with a fresh engineering voice is seen as one way of helping the Briton regain confidence and consistency, while also ensuring the team enters Formula One’s next era with a restructured and forward-looking approach.

Sources: AutoRacer.it