Even though he is not yet operational, Cédric Michel-Grosjean, the man who will soon be speaking into the ears of the seven-time world champion, is present in the Scuderia’s garage in Australia.
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After the departure of Riccardo Adami, Ferrari is preparing Lewis Hamilton’s new right-hand man: Cedric Michel-Grosjean has already appeared in the Albert Park paddock garage (photo above).
For his season debut, the Briton is thus discovering his new track engineer, who will not, however, be immediately 100% operational. During the first races, the experienced Carlo Santi will act as a relay.
Transition period
Thus closes one of the files that fueled conversations all winter. Ferrari’s new season had indeed begun with an important announcement: Adami was seconded to the Ferrari Driver Academy and to previous car tests (TPC), explaining that the appointment of his successor would come in due course, without immediately giving an official name.
In the meantime, during testing and preparation for the debut in Melbourne, Hamilton worked with an intermediate structure: Carlo Santi (experienced technician, already seen at Ferrari and having also worked with Kimi Räikkönen) alongside Bryan Bozzi (regular engineer for Charles Leclerc) during the winter sessions. A necessary step to not leave the seven-time world champion without support at a time when the new F1 is modifying its procedures and racing habits.
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From McLaren to Ferrari
The direction is now set: the engineer destined to become the new voice in Hamilton’s ear is Cedric Michel-Grosjean, who left McLaren last December, where he had worked in close collaboration with Oscar Piastri as performance manager. Ferrari had to wait before making him operational due to technical transition delays and the typical paddock notice period.
The start of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship definitively reveals the cards: Michel-Grosjean is already in Melbourne, spotted in the paddock, a sign that his integration has truly begun from the first Grand Prix of the year. The idea is one of a gradual entry: Santi will accompany him during the first races to allow him to assimilate Ferrari’s procedures, people, and working method before fully taking control of his role on the pit wall.
In a weekend where Ferrari arrives with high expectations regarding the SF-26 and a Lewis Hamilton inevitably under pressure, the choice of the new track engineer is worth almost as much as a technical update: it is in continuous communication and quick decisions that points and confidence are often won (or lost).
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