Ferrari’s recent decision to demote Riccardo Adami signals the beginning of a potential transformation within Formula 1’s most legendary team, possibly influenced by Lewis Hamilton’s arrival. This move, announced shortly before pre-season testing, reflects Ferrari’s acknowledgment of the need for change as it strives to keep up with the evolving demands of modern Formula 1 racing.
Comparing Ferrari’s resistance to change with an old Alfa Romeo’s tendency to break down highlights the tension between legacy and innovation. While Ferrari’s history is rooted in excellence, it cannot afford to stagnate, much like the Alfa requires new parts to function properly. Both symbolize traditions that must adapt to survive in contemporary motorsport.
Change at Ferrari is infrequent and often comes amid internal conflicts, as seen historically with figures such as Alain Prost, whose criticisms led to his firing—only for those responsible to be dismissed shortly after. This pattern reveals a team accustomed either to slow evolution or abrupt responses, and the current adjustment involving Adami is still significant despite being subtler.
The Uncommon Shift in Riccardo Adami’s Role
Moving Riccardo Adami from race engineer for Lewis Hamilton to managing Ferrari’s Driver Academy and Testing Previous Cars program marks a notable step down, akin to switching from a Mercedes E-Class to a Dacia Sandero in the automotive world. This change required strong conviction from team Principal Fred Vasseur and the Ferrari board, underscoring the seriousness of the decision.
Rumors of friction between Hamilton and Adami have circulated since the season’s opening race, revealing tensions beneath the surface. Despite Adami’s track record as a skilled race engineer for champions like Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, and Carlos Sainz, his partnership with Hamilton failed to reach the same success.
Adami’s expertise lies in his ability to connect with drivers within the unique cultures of Italian teams, demonstrated by his role in Vettel’s maiden win in Monza 2008 and subsequent collaborations in Ferrari’s garage. However, Hamilton’s seven world championships brought a different working style and expectations, which Adami struggled to accommodate.
Breakdown in Communication Between Hamilton and Adami
The core of the Hamilton-Adami split stems from miscommunication, with Hamilton expecting a particular style of interaction shaped by his experiences at McLaren and Mercedes. Their radio exchanges often exposed this disconnect, with Hamilton’s specific queries receiving incorrect or no answers, suggesting Adami adhered rigidly to Ferrari’s protocols rather than tailoring responses.
One striking example occurred in Abu Dhabi, when Hamilton’s polite “thank you” over the team radio was met with silence, forcing him to call out the lack of response before finally receiving any acknowledgment. This echoed the season-long pattern of poor interaction and misunderstanding.
Throughout races in Australia, Miami, and Monaco, Hamilton’s requests for information or space were repeatedly ignored or mishandled. In Miami, when frustrated behind teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s plea for a strategy update was met with a dismissive “I’ll come back to you,” prompting Hamilton’s sarcastic query about whether the team was enjoying tea.
At Monaco, Adami failed to provide clear distance information between Hamilton and rival McLarens, instead offering irrelevant lap times and tire data. This lack of direct communication frustrated Hamilton further, culminating in silence even after the driver inquired if his engineer was upset.
Adami also missed alerting Hamilton to track limits infractions during the season finale, which angered the driver. These repeated communication failures underscore the inability of the duo to find a working rhythm, highlighting Ferrari’s struggle to meet the demands of Hamilton’s tailored style.
Resistance to Change and Internal Challenges at Ferrari
During his initial months at Ferrari, Hamilton sought to understand team weaknesses and suggested necessary changes, only to encounter resistance. Maurizio Arrivabene, former Team Principal, noted that previous attempts at change, like Sebastian Vettel’s, had similarly failed, illustrating Ferrari’s deeply entrenched culture.
Ferrari’s long-standing approach often involved ignoring issues rather than addressing them, particularly within its strategy team, which has frequently been criticized for poor decisions, with the Miami race mistakes being a recent example. Despite these setbacks, the team preferred learning from errors over making staff changes, even after a disastrous 2022 season.
John Elkann, Ferrari’s CEO and part of the leadership that signed Hamilton, attempted to shift blame for the team’s 2025 struggles onto the drivers, accusing them of excessive communication and overlooking systemic problems. Yet, the removal of Adami suggests that the board may finally recognize the need for modernisation.
Implications of Hamilton’s Influence on Ferrari’s Future Direction
Riccardo Adami’s demotion, regardless of the reasons, symbolizes Ferrari’s acknowledgement that clinging to tradition is no longer viable. Though Adami is respected, his predicament reflects the team’s inability to evolve, which Hamilton’s presence has indirectly exposed.
Signing Hamilton was a bold move by Ferrari to signal intent in Formula 1, accompanied by efforts to recruit fresh expertise. However, the team’s continued reluctance to alter its methods risks undermining these initiatives. As Formula 1 advances, relying on legacy and hope proves insufficient for sustained success.
For Ferrari, the future depends on adopting more open communication, strategic flexibility, and embracing new ways of working to compete effectively. The shift away from old habits, embodied by the metaphor of retiring an unreliable Alfa Romeo, marks the start of a new chapter for the iconic team, with Hamilton credited for prompting this transformation.
