Hamilton Faces Pressure Over Engineer Adami as Montoya Urges Bold Moves at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s start at Ferrari has drawn criticism from former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, who has urged the seven-time world champion to take greater control of his situation—starting with a possible shake-up of his race team. Montoya has suggested that Hamilton may need to part ways with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, if Ferrari is to return to winning form.
Since Hamilton’s highly publicized move to the Italian team, his working relationship with Adami has been under scrutiny. Several communication lapses have raised concerns, most notably during the Monaco Grand Prix, where Hamilton was penalized for impeding another driver. The penalty stemmed from unclear instructions, and tensions appeared to rise when Hamilton received no response from the team after thanking them post-race—prompting him to ask whether they were upset.
Montoya believes this is more than just a one-off issue. He points to systemic problems in Ferrari’s race-day operations and argues that a driver of Hamilton’s caliber shouldn’t have to deal with such breakdowns. “You can’t fight for titles if your communication isn’t flawless,” Montoya said, emphasizing that Hamilton must push for tighter coordination and accountability within the team.
Ferrari has cited technical faults like radio interference as explanations for recent errors, but Montoya isn’t convinced. He believes Hamilton must lead with authority and, if necessary, initiate key personnel changes to ensure the team is fully aligned with his approach and expectations.
Hamilton, however, has remained calm in the face of speculation. Dismissing rumors of internal friction, he defended his partnership with Adami and reiterated that they’re working hard to build a winning chemistry. “This is a long-term project, and these things take time,” Hamilton said.
Still, Montoya warns that time may not be on Hamilton’s side. He believes Ferrari must act quickly if they want to return to championship contention—and that means giving Hamilton the tools and team he needs to succeed, without compromise.
As the pressure builds, the spotlight will remain on how Hamilton and Ferrari navigate the road ahead—and whether tough decisions lie just around the corner.