Mercedes Confirms Future of Peter 'Bono' Bonnington As Lewis Hamilton Moves To Ferrari

Saajan Jogia | Aug 21, 2024

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (GBR) salutes the crowd during the drivers parade of the Canadien Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Mercedes announced that Lewis Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington, also known as Bono, has been promoted to the position of head of race engineering in alignment with Hamilton's exit after the 2024 season. The big move marks the end of a twelve-year professional relationship between the pair.

Hamilton's 2025 switch to Ferrari, announced earlier this year, has sent ripples through the Formula 1 driver market and significantly influenced the driver market. Mercedes quickly responded by naming George Russell as the team's lead driver. The changes also sparked questions about Bono's future at Mercedes, leaving many to wonder whether he would remain with the Brackley outfit after the departure of the seven-time world champion.

Though the promotion takes effect immediately, he will continue to oversee Hamilton's performance for the remainder of the 2024 F1 season as he transitions into his new role. The iconic phrase "OK Lewis, it’s Hammertime," frequently heard over the team radio during race weekends, urging Hamilton to push to the limit, will probably be heard once or twice before the season ends. Their collaboration, which began with Hamilton's first year at Mercedes in 2013, has been marked by six Drivers' Championships and seven Constructors' titles.

Bono’s tenure with Mercedes dates back to 2006 when he was part of Jenson Button’s crew at Honda before the team evolved into Brawn GP. He remained with the team, which was eventually taken over by Mercedes in 2010. He has been one of Formula 1's most recognized team members, given his race engineer association with the top drivers in Formula 1, including Michael Schumacher.

In 2025, while taking on his new role, Bono will also continue to work closely with one of Mercedes' drivers, ensuring the team benefits from his extensive experience. Despite his strong bond with Hamilton, Bono's future with Mercedes was always secure, given his long-standing association with the team since its early days. Additionally, the anti-poaching clause in Hamilton's contract prevents him from recruiting Mercedes team members for Ferrari.

But did Mercedes try its best to retain Bono? It could be likely, considering team principal Toto Wolff's statements after Hamilton's Ferrari move announcement. He told PlanetF1.com:

“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.”

Currently working with Carlos Sainz, Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami is likely to remain with the team as Hamilton's transition approaches. Ferrari is expected to prioritize aligning Hamilton with an engineer already well-integrated into the team.