Lewis Hamilton Delivered Crushing Blow Ahead Of Ferrari F1 Move

Lewis Hamilton is set to part ways with Mercedes and his long-time race engineer, Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington. This comes as Hamilton prepares for a monumental move to Ferrari, marking the end of an era that saw him clinch six of his seven Drivers’ Championships since joining the team in 2013.

The duo of Hamilton and Bonnington will conclude their 12-year partnership at the season’s end. The Silver Arrows have recently announced Bonnington’s promotion to head of race engineering, which snuffs out any speculation of him joining Hamilton at Ferrari.

This promotion will keep Bonnington at Mercedes’ Brackley-based operations, capping nearly two decades with the team.

Despite the impending changes, the partnership will continue through the remainder of the 2024 season – a time they will likely cherish.

This announcement coincides with Hamilton and Bonnington’s emotional victory at the British Grand Prix earlier this season where they both revelled in a return to the top of the podium.

In reflection on their time together, Hamilton expressed deep appreciation for Bonnington in an interview in 2023.

“I’m incredibly grateful for Bono. I’ve had an amazing journey with him, I think we’ve got one of the longest, if not the longest-standing driver-engineer partnerships that there’s been, and he’s been hugely integral to my success,” Hamilton shared.

He continued, describing Bonnington as part of his family. “We’ve had an amazing journey together, we’ve supported each other on and off-track, through good and bad times, and I love working with Bono; he’s like a brother to me, a brother from another mother,” he remarked.

Highlighting Bonnington’s importance to his race-day performance, Hamilton continued:

“I think he’s probably one of the few people that can truly stand me, I would say, on the good and bad days – except for (my dog) – and how calm he’s able to be throughout a race, and how he’s able to help guide and help me navigate through a race. I don’t think there’s many people that can do that.”

Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Mercedes’ driver lineup is expected to feature George Russell and likely newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

It remains unclear whether Bonnington will pair up with Antonelli or take over from Marcus Dudley as Russell’s race engineer, but he is expected to stay partnered with a driver – a move that means his talent won’t be wasted here.

As Hamilton’s career takes a new direction with the Scuderia, the ending partnership with Bonnington at Mercedes marks a bittersweet chapter for the two. Hamilton’s contributions and Bonnington’s strategic brilliance have undeniably shaped Mercedes’ dominance in Formula 1 over the last decade. We’ll now watch keenly as both embark on their next journey.