Lewis Hamilton has admitted he “would have loved to continue” with race engineer Peter Bonnington at Ferrari.
Bonnington, also referred to as ‘Bono’, has been promoted to move of race engineering at Mercedes and won’t be part of Hamilton at Ferrari subsequent season.
The 49-year-old will stay as Hamilton’s race engineer for the ultimate 10 races of this season and can then be the race engineer for one in all Mercedes’ two drivers subsequent 12 months – George Russell or Hamilton’s alternative, which is anticipated to be Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
“I would have loved to have continued with Bono, of course,” stated Hamilton forward of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, stay on Sky Sports activities F1.
“We have now a fantastic relationship and also you heard it at Silverstone, he is like a brother. However I am actually, actually completely happy for him. For me, I feel it is nearly individuals doing no matter’s finest for you.
“Packing up and leaving, him and his accomplice, it impacts each of them, in order that they needed to do no matter is correct for him.
“I knew it might be an unlikely situation that he would go together with me as a result of it is such a drastic change for his life. However I am actually completely happy that the workforce have acknowledged and made adjustments, so he can develop extra.
“I think he’ll now be able to show them even more of the great things he can do. But either way, we’re going to be family forever. We’ve spoken about it and we just want to make sure we finish on a high.”
Bonnington was Michael Schumacher’s race engineer at Mercedes for 18 months earlier than turning into the voice in Hamilton’s ear when he joined the Silver Arrows in 2013.
He grew to become well-known for his “it’s hammer time Lewis” radio message to Hamilton once they have been combating for victories, which was a sign to push arduous earlier than a pit cease.
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Lewis Hamilton wins the British GP and is left emotional on the workforce radio straight after.
“When I joined this team, I just came in and Bono was the head engineer at the time,” stated Hamilton.
“It’s got to be someone you get on with, it’s got to be someone you are able to build a relationship with and trust.
“The following one, that is going to be a discovery course of. I will know early on whether or not it should work or not. However I feel it is nearly speaking.”
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With Method 1 set to return from its summer season break, we glance again at how the season has panned out up to now.
Hamilton: We did not anticipate to be combating on the entrance
Hamilton inherited victory final outing on the Belgian Grand Prix after his Mercedes team-mate George Russell was disqualified for an underweight automobile.
The seven-time world champion additionally gained at Silverstone, the place Bonnington joined him on the rostrum, to finish his two-and-a-half 12 months winless streak.
He is sixth within the Drivers’ Championship, 127 factors behind Max Verstappen and Mercedes are 142 factors adrift of Purple Bull within the Constructors’ Championship.
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As Method 1 returns to Zandvoort after the summer season shutdown, take a look at what the drivers have been as much as throughout their holidays.
Hamilton, who has by no means gained at Zandvoort because it returned to the F1 calendar in 2021, says his goal is to get near the highest three.
“When we started off the season, I know so many of us in the team didn’t expect…we didn’t know when we would get back to top performance and be fighting at the front, we thought it was such a long shot,” he stated.
“But everyone back at the factory just worked so hard and we now know what the car needs and we’ve got it in a much happier place. And to drive it, the car is much more of a racing car now and I’m generally really enjoying driving it. So I think it’s reflecting that.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s stay Dutch GP schedule
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Forward of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, we glance again at Max Verstappen’s three consecutive wins round Zandvoort.
Friday August 23
9.05am: F1 Academy: Apply One
11am: Dutch GP Apply One (session begins 11.30am)
2.45pm: Dutch GP Apply Two (session begins 3pm)
4.25pm: F1 Academy: Apply Two
5.15pm: The F1 Present
Saturday August 24
9.10am: F1 Academy: Qualifying
10.15am: Dutch GP Apply Three (session begins 10.30am)
1pm: Dutch GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: DUTCH GP QUALIFYING
4pm: F1 Academy: Race One
Sunday August 25
9.40am: F1 Academy: Race Two
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Dutch GP build-up
2pm: The DUTCH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Dutch GP response
Method 1 returns after the summer season break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend, stay on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime.
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