P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes to discuss Hamilton’s F1 engineer Bono’s future before Ferrari move
It was announced on Thursday that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari for the 2025 season. It is common for top drivers to bring along staff members from their previous teams, either by personal request or because they have a good working relationship with them. In the past, key team members have followed drivers to their new teams, such as Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne joining Michael Schumacher at Ferrari in 1996. Jock Clear also followed Jacques Villeneuve from Williams to BAR in 2000. Hamilton has a close relationship with his race engineer ‘Bono’ and it remains to be seen if he will make the move to Ferrari. Team principal Toto Wolff expects this to be discussed in the future. One complication is that Bonnington would have to finish the season with Mercedes before joining Ferrari. Aside from team principal Fred Vasseur, Hamilton will not find many familiar faces at Ferrari, but former Mercedes performance director Loic Serra will be joining the team. Clear, who also worked with Hamilton at Mercedes, is primarily focused on Ferrari’s young driver program. If Bonnington joins Ferrari, the team will have to rearrange roles and find a new position for Riccardo Adami, who is currently working with Carlos Sainz.
