In classic Ferrari fashion, they have put themselves into a bind once again. After a dreadful season for Lewis Hamilton, caused in part by poor communication with his race engineer Riccardo Adami, the team decided to move him to a new role in the team last week. This means Ferrari needs to hire Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer for 2026

With just weeks before the start of the season, and even fewer before the start of testing, the team is in a bind as to who they can get to replace him. As great as it would be to get Peter “Bono” Bonnington to join them from Mercedes, it’s impossible that Toto Wolff and team would let him go join their arch rival this close to the start of the season.

Given the amount of technical knowledge he would have about the team, they would likely put him on gardening leave for a year or two (effectively pay him to not work) before allowing him to move on. This is naturally not good for Ferrari, which would need him next week.

Given this, there is really only one option for who could take on this job, and that’s Luca Diella. Most reports, including La Gazzetta dello Sport, suggest he will earn the job and serve as his engineer for 2026.

However, to make this move so late in the season is bizarre. This should have been done weeks, if not months, ago. There is no reason to have made this move so late. While it will likely be Diella, and deservedly so, there is no reason to have waited this long. Here’s what we know about Diella so far.

Who Is Luca Diella? Hamilton’s New Ferrari Race Engineer Explained

The Italian race engineer is a self-described Ferrari enthusiast and has been with the team since last season. A technical expert, Diella has a Master’s Degree in Motorsport Engineering from Brunel University and worked with a number of outfits on high-output engines and powertrain systems.

What makes Diella even more of a fit is that he worked previously with Hamilton at Mercedes, having spent time with him as his trackside performance engineer. The two were together for approximately six years, and Diella has developed a strong working relationship with the British driver.

Diella knows Hamilton’s communication style, having been with him since 2019, but also knows the Mercedes car and the differences between it and the Ferrari, something that was a struggle for Hamilton last season. The car and Hamilton did not get along last season, and if anyone can unlock Hamilton in this car, it’s Diella.

The Timing Problem: 10 Days Before Barcelona Testing

Ferrari has always been slow at making decisions. The team tends to be bureaucratic in their decision-making process and takes a very long time to make a serious move.

However, this relationship has been terse since the start of this move, and most other teams would have made the move mid-season. When you have one of the greatest drivers of all time struggling with his race engineer, you need to make a move and make one quickly.

Let’s give Ferrari the benefit of the doubt. They probably wanted to see if things would improve, and after spending months publicly saying that everything was fine, they would have to admit failure if they moved Adami out of the role mid-season.

Bringing in Diella in February and elevating him through the season was likely a pointer to this being part of the plan. He integrated with Hamilton’s squad at Silverstone before fully joining at Belgium in July, and Ferrari probably wanted to see if he could make an impact.

Ferrari’s Pattern: A History of Late Decisions and Dysfunction

But between Spa and Abu Dhabi, the team had more than enough time to evaluate whether Adami was a fit, whether Diella was the right person, and then make the move the week after Abu Dhabi.

Instead, the team has waited way too long and is now in a crunch situation with testing starting so soon. Hamilton is starting on the back foot, and even if he and Diella know each other well, it’s still a process to integrate the two into the system as a race engineer and develop that rapport. Trust has been damaged since last year with Ferrari, and that will take time to rebuild.

Ferrari has had a history of not getting the car quite right and not getting the most out of their drivers. Five Teram Principals in 17 years is just the tip of the iceberg. The team couldn’t get the most out of a long string of excellent drivers, and Hamilton has already joined that group.

This indecision and delay hurt Hamilton and the team, but also hurt fans, who expect more from the legendary side. There needs to be a shift in Ferrari’s decision-making culture. While I hope I’m wrong and that Diella is a natural fit as Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer for 2026, and he can counteract some of these issues, the fundamental issues still exist and need to be resolved.

Follow our 2026 F1 season coverage as we track whether Ferrari can finally get out of its own way.