Lewis Hamilton could have a new race engineer at Ferrari for the Miami Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton’s temporary partnership with Carlo Santi at Ferrari could come to an end after the Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton may have a new race engineer by the time the season resumes in Miami.

After deciding to reassign Hamilton’s 2025 engineer Riccardo Adami over the winter, the Scuderia appointed Carlo Santi, who has previously worked with Kimi Raikkonen, on an interim basis.

While the move hasn’t been officially announced, Cedric Michel-Grosjean has been seen wearing Ferrari gear. The Frenchman made a late arrival from McLaren, where he worked with Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton’s new race engineer likely to start in Miami

It was reported at the start of the season that Michel-Grosjean would observe Santi, as well as the rest of Hamilton’s engineers, at first. This would ensure he was prepared for his role alongside Hamilton and well-versed in Ferrari’s working methods.

The expectation was that Michel-Grosjean would take a backseat in Australia, China and Japan. That would have seen him start in Bahrain, but the upcoming Middle Eastern races have been cancelled due to the conflict in the region.

Has Lewis Hamilton been set up to fail?

His new engineer won't be in place for the start of the season

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The timeline has changed for Ferrari’s new signing, but that may be no bad thing. It gives him more time to work with Hamilton at the Maranello factory before their first competitive test.

Hamilton finished sixth in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, a race he described as ‘terrible’, but it has still been a positive start to the season. With 41 points on the board, he sits fourth in the championship.

‘I don’t understand what you want’ – Lewis Hamilton’s radio frustration in Japan

Hamilton repeatedly lamented a lack of deployment from his Ferrari power unit during the race at Suzuka.

The Briton’s frustration was obvious over the radio and he was silent after the chequered flag, but it’s unlikely that this points to any personal grievance with Santi, who helped him score his first Ferrari podium in China.

Still, Michel-Grosjean would be wise to study the Japan radio transcript to see what his driver needs.

• READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer unsure Lewis Hamilton is ‘really back’ as he predicts ‘lightning’ Charles Leclerc run

At one point, Hamilton said: “You want me to push? I don’t understand what you want me to do.”

During the safety car period, he told Santi: “Lead me through the lap where I was weak… at the end I was much better, like how was the last chicane for example.”

It’s clear that Hamilton places a great emphasis on constant, precise, broken-down communication.

At McLaren, Michel-Grosjean helped turn Piastri into one of the most formidable drivers on the grid, but this is the first time in the lead pitwall role.