Lewis Hamilton leaves the trusted Mercedes nest at the end of the year after twelve seasons. His move to Ferrari also means that he will have to say goodbye to his supporter Peter Bonnington. Or will the engineer perhaps move to Maranello with Hamilton? Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff certainly does not rule it out.
Now that it has become clear that Hamilton will start his twelfth and final season with the Mercedes Formula 1 team in a few weeks, many are wondering whether the successful collaboration with his engineer Bonnington will end after 2024. also known as ‘Bono’. Together, the duo has celebrated no fewer than six world titles since Hamilton came to Mercedes in 2013, but a seventh seems unlikely to come due to the dominance of Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing in 2023. Or maybe? Could ‘Bono’ be chasing his driver?
Wolff does not rule out Bono’s departure
It is a logical question after last Thursday’s surprising news and it was asked to Wolff. To various media, including Motorsport.com, the Mercedes team boss did not want to rule this out. ‘I think it’s a discussion we’ll have to have in the coming months. I have already spoken to Bono,” says Wolff, before revealing some more details of the conversation.
According to the 52-year-old Austrian, the news also came as a bolt from the blue for ‘Bono’. “When I told him, he asked me: is it April 1?” Wolff reveals part of the content of the conversation between the two Mercedes men. “It is something we will discuss in the future,” Wolff concludes, once again saying that it is far from certain that Bonnington will still be on the German brand’s payroll after this season.
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