Lewis Hamilton finds his rhythm with his "Italian Bono"
Lewis Hamilton has finally hit his stride at Ferrari, clinching a stunning victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. It is a massive turnaround for the seven-time World Champion, who suffered through a brutal 2025 season struggling to adapt to the SF-25. Now, paired with the SF-26—a machine he helped develop—Hamilton looks like the driver we all know again.
At the heart of this resurgence is his new race engineer, Carlo Santi. Hamilton has affectionately dubbed the 52-year-old his "Italian Bono." Santi, a Ferrari veteran from Verona, spent years working his way up from the remote garage to the pit wall, including a notable stint as Kimi Raikkonen’s engineer. He stepped in to assist Hamilton at the beginning of this season, replacing Riccardo Adami, and the chemistry was immediate.
"He’s a bit of an OG," Hamilton noted. "He's an older guy that's been around the block. He's very calm." The partnership has been transformative, yielding a win and two second-place finishes in the last three Grands Prix. With Santi’s technical guidance, Hamilton says he is finally able to attack corners with confidence, proving that even a legend needs the right partner in his ear to unlock the full potential of a beastly car.
