In a significant shift for both Lewis Hamilton and Riccardo Adami, the 2025 Formula 1 season has marked the initiation of their collaboration at Ferrari. After years with Mercedes, Hamilton has drawn a new line in his illustrious career, now supported by Adami, who is stepping into his role as the race engineer for the seven-time world champion.
Adami, a seasoned Italian engineer, has an extensive resume in Formula 1, having worked with notable drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz before now partnering with Hamilton. Despite a few terse exchanges on the radio during their first race together, Hamilton expressed confidence in Adami’s abilities, stating, “I think Riccardo did a really good job.” Hamilton acknowledged the learning curve they face, emphasizing the gradual process of understanding each other's communication style.
Born on November 27, 1973, in Brescia, Italy, Riccardo Adami is currently 51 years old and has melded his passion for motorsports into a successful engineering career. He graduated with a diploma in chassis engineering from the University of Brescia in 2001. His journey in Formula 1 began with Minardi in 2002 as a data analysis engineer, where he was promoted to race engineer in 2005 after demonstrating his prowess.
Over the years, Adami transitioned to Scuderia Toro Rosso, where he worked with young talents including Vitantonio Liuzzi, Sebastian Vettel, Sébastien Buemi, and Daniel Ricciardo. His pivotal role at Toro Rosso, especially during Vettel's rise, proved vital as Adami later joined Ferrari in 2015. There, he enjoyed a successful stint as Vettel’s race engineer. Most recently, Adami had been working with Carlos Sainz Jr. until the driver’s departure to Williams Racing at the end of the 2024 season, paving the way for his collaboration with Hamilton.
While specific details regarding Adami's salary at Ferrari remain undisclosed, the realm of motorsport offers varying pay scales. Graduate engineers in F1 typically earn between £25,000 and £30,000 annually, while seasoned engineers can command salaries between £70,000 and £115,000. Those in chief roles can earn upwards of £175,000, indicating that Adami could well be within the higher pay spectrum given his experience and qualifications.
This partnership comes with its complexities, especially considering Hamilton's extensive history with his long-time race engineer, Peter Bonnington, who was unable to follow him to Ferrari due to contractual obligations with Mercedes. Hamilton’s deep-rooted familiarity with Bonnington provided a seamless rapport that developed over years, making his transition to Adami an evolving challenge.
Both drivers expressed optimism about their partnership. Hamilton noted, “We’re learning about each other bit by bit. We just need to... after this, we’ll download, we’ll go through all the comments, things I said, and vice versa.” This collaborative spirit is imperative as the duo aims for optimal performance amid the competitive landscape of Formula 1.
The dynamics of their collaboration recalls a similar scenario during the 2018 season when Hamilton defended Vettel from harsh media criticism following a spate of errors that saw him finish 88 points behind Hamilton that year. Hamilton expressed, “I feel the media need to show a little more respect for Sebastian,” underscoring the pressures elite athletes face.
Hamilton's defense of Vettel illustrates not just camaraderie among drivers but the understanding of the insurmountable pressure they all endure at the highest levels of competition. This is reminiscent of Vettel’s own defense of Hamilton following a critical moment during a race against Max Verstappen, where he cautioned against media assumptions made from the radio communications between drivers during intense races.
In the words of Vettel from that season, “I don’t think it’s justified to give us these kind of s*** questions and making up a story out of nothing,” which speaks to common experiences shared among racers as they navigate the complexities of high-stakes events.
As Riccardo Adami embarks on this new journey with Hamilton at Ferrari, observers from the motorsports community will be keen to see how their dynamic evolves. Hamilton's decision to switch teams is not only a career pivot but also a chapter that brings significant attention to Ferrari in their quest for victory in upcoming races. The evolution of their collaboration might well set the stage for the type of competitive edge Ferrari seeks as they pursue championship aspirations in the years to come.
In light of their rich histories and shared challenges, the partnership between Hamilton and Adami stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence inherent to Formula 1 racing. Both are equipped with dreams of winning that lap outside of the ordinary and the challenges that make every moment on the track a learning opportunity.
