Lewis Hamilton has confirmed he’s now working with a new performance engineer at Ferrari as he continues to adapt to life with the Italian team. The seven-time world champion revealed that the new engineer is someone he had previously worked with, hinting at a connection from his Mercedes days. Ferrari has remained tight-lipped about the engineer’s identity, only disclosing that the individual had been internally promoted within the Maranello outfit. Hamilton admitted that while the transition hasn’t been easy, he’s optimistic about the progress being made.
Meanwhile, over at Red Bull, Laurent Mekies stepped into his new role on the pit wall, officially replacing Christian Horner as team principal. Mekies, who previously held a senior role at AlphaTauri and before that at Ferrari, described the Red Bull environment as “very complex.” His first race weekend in charge came during the Belgian Grand Prix, where he began to get a closer understanding of the team’s structure and culture. His early remarks suggest that he sees both great potential and intricate challenges ahead with his new team.
In other F1 developments, there’s speculation about a possible return of the Turkish Grand Prix to the calendar in 2026. The Istanbul Park circuit, which last hosted an F1 race in 2021, is reportedly being considered for a comeback. Discussions are said to be underway, and while nothing has been confirmed yet, the possibility has sparked excitement among fans who enjoyed the unique characteristics of the track and its past races.
Elsewhere, Williams has made a notable internal signing by bringing in a new chief operating officer who had a previous stint with the team during its BMW partnership era. The move is being framed as a reunion driven by “unfinished business,” as both the team and the returning executive aim to rebuild Williams’ competitive standing. This leadership change is part of a broader restructuring strategy to return the iconic team to its former glory in Formula 1.
Finally, a range of hot topics were discussed in RacingNews365’s latest podcast and review coverage, including criticism of F1’s handling of wet races, Lewis Hamilton’s Belgian GP recovery, and Max Verstappen’s title hopes. Hamilton’s performance was labeled a “masterclass” by some, though others questioned that assessment, pointing to the strategic limitations and car performance. The podcast also reflected on Laurent Mekies’ debut as Red Bull boss and how the team dynamics may shift in the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix.
About the Author
