BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton's race engineer Pete Bonnington set to assume new role at Mercedes

In a significant shift within the Mercedes F1 team, Pete Bonnington, Lewis Hamilton’s trusted race engineer, is set to transition to a new role as Head of Race Engineering. This development comes as Bonnington’s longstanding partnership with Hamilton, which has spanned a decade, is nearing its end.

Bonnington, affectionately known as Bono, has been an integral part of Hamilton’s journey since the British driver joined Mercedes in 2013. Their collaboration has been highly successful, with the pair securing six world championships together. The news of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari next season had cast uncertainty over whether Bonnington would remain with Mercedes or not.

However, ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Mercedes confirmed that Bonnington will officially assume his new position as Head of Race Engineering immediately. In this new role, he will be responsible for overseeing the engineering team while continuing to work directly with Hamilton for the remainder of this season. The future of who Bonnington will work with next year remains unclear, with speculation pointing towards either George Russell or potentially Kimi Antonelli.

Pete Bonnington follows Gianpiero Lambiase's way!

Bonnington’s new role mirrors a setup currently in place at Red Bull, where Gianpiero Lambiase serves as Head of Race Engineering while also continuing to work with reigning world champion Max Verstappen. This strategic arrangement reflects Mercedes’ intent to maintain continuity and leverage Bonnington’s extensive experience.

Throughout his career, Bonnington has not only been a key figure in Hamilton’s successes but has also worked with other notable champions such as Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button. His expertise and longstanding association with the team underscore his significant contribution to Mercedes' racing endeavours.

As Hamilton prepares for a new chapter with Ferrari, Bonnington’s promotion marks the end of an era for Mercedes. Nevertheless, his continued involvement in the team promises to bring valuable insight and stability during a period of transition.