Mercedes has announced the promotion of Peter Bonnington, Lewis Hamilton's long-time race engineer, to the role of head of race engineering. The timing aligns with Hamilton’s planned exit from the team after the 2024 season. This shift not only marks the end of an era for one of F1’s most successful driver-engineer partnerships but also sets the stage for Mercedes' future without their star driver.
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025, confirmed earlier this year, has already caused significant ripples across the Formula 1 landscape. One of the biggest questions left in its wake was the fate of Peter Bonnington, affectionately known as "Bono," who has been an integral part of Hamilton’s team since his debut with Mercedes in 2013.
As Hamilton prepares for his transition to Ferrari, Mercedes was quick to solidify their plans by promoting Bonnington to head of race engineering, ensuring his expertise remains at the heart of the team’s operations.
The announcement of Hamilton’s departure undoubtedly sparked speculation about whether Bono would follow the seven-time world champion to Ferrari. However, Mercedes' swift move to promote him seems to indicate they were determined to retain his invaluable experience and leadership.
While the promotion takes effect immediately, Bono will continue his duties as Hamilton’s race engineer through the end of the 2024 season, allowing the pair to finish their journey together on a high note.
Bono’s legacy at Mercedes is unparalleled. From his start with Jenson Button's crew at Honda in 2006 to his role in Michael Schumacher’s final F1 stint, Bono has been a cornerstone of the Brackley outfit's engineering team.
His collaboration with Hamilton has been nothing short of legendary, contributing to six Drivers' Championships and seven Constructors' titles. The iconic “OK Lewis, it’s Hammertime,” a phrase that has become synonymous with Hamilton’s race-winning drives, will be heard a few more times before their partnership concludes.
In 2025, Bono’s role will evolve further as he continues to work closely with Mercedes’ drivers, ensuring that the team continues to benefit from his deep reservoir of experience.
Despite the rumors that surfaced after Hamilton's move to Ferrari, it’s clear that Mercedes has every intention of keeping Bono as a key figure in their camp. An anti-poaching clause in Hamilton's contract adds an extra layer of security, preventing him from bringing any Mercedes personnel along to Ferrari.
Interestingly, Ferrari appears to be taking a different approach with Hamilton’s integration. Rather than bringing in Bono or another new engineer, the team is expected to stick with Riccardo Adami, currently working with Carlos Sainz. Adami’s established presence within Ferrari suggests that the Scuderia is more focused on maintaining internal continuity as they prepare to welcome Hamilton into their ranks.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, hinted at the complexities of these transitions in an interview with PlanetF1.com , where he reflected on the challenges ahead for both Mercedes and Bono:
“I think this is a discussion which everyone needs to have in the months to come. And as much as I’ve spoken with Bono already, when I told him [about Hamilton’s move] he said, ‘Is it April the first?’ That’s something which we will discuss in the future.”
As the 2024 season draws to a close, all eyes will be on the final races of the Hamilton-Bonnington partnership. While the end of their collaboration marks a significant chapter in F1 history, Mercedes is poised to continue its success with Bono at the helm of race engineering, ensuring that their dominance on the track remains unchallenged. The upcoming transition period promises to be both emotional and strategic as the team navigates this new era.
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