Capelli queries the postponement regarding Hamilton's race engineer.

      "I believe Lewis is still open to taking risks."

      Former Formula 1 driver Ivan Capelli has expressed his concern about the absence of a formal announcement regarding Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer at Ferrari, labeling the situation as peculiar. In an interview with Sky Italia, Capelli noted that Ferrari seems to be in a strong competitive position for the 2026 season but highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the pitwall arrangement for the seven-time world champion as significant.

      "I see Ferrari as competitive. I expect them to challenge the top teams," Capelli stated. "I think Lewis is still inclined to take risks. He had a challenging year and is aware of it. He’s eager for a resurgence. I can’t see him concluding his career on a low note. However, it’s strange that they haven’t announced his race engineer to succeed Riccardo Adami yet. It could just be a timing issue, but some information needs to be shared ahead of time."

      During Hamilton’s initial running in Barcelona this week, he has been temporarily supported by Brian Bozzi, who typically works with Charles Leclerc, while Ferrari finalizes its long-term plan. After completing his first significant laps in the 2026 car in wet conditions on Tuesday, Hamilton maintained a cautious yet upbeat tone.

      "We didn’t encounter any major issues, which provides us a solid foundation to continue our learning and development over the next couple of days," Hamilton remarked. "I don’t want to say too much at this point because it’s tough to gauge. I’ve only driven in the rain, and there’s considerably less downforce compared to last year," he added. Ferrari has not yet indicated when Hamilton’s permanent race engineer will be appointed.