Doubts over whether two key Mercedes figures want to follow Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari

Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington and Andrew Shovlin are yet to be convinced about potentially moving to Italy to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in F1 2025.

Hamilton reportedly wants to repeat what Michael Schumacher did when he took Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne from Benetton to Ferrari but his plans face “several obstacles”, according to Motorsport.

Bonnington, Hamilton’s long-time race engineer, and Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, both have doubts about relocating to Italy.

However, the report adds “there is time to convince the two to land in Maranello”, with Hamilton not completing his shock transfer until 2025.

Another crucial member of Mercedes’ engineering staff, Riccardo Musconi, is another name linked with joining Hamilton in making the switch to Ferrari.

Musconi, who is said to be “extremely close” to Hamilton, is one important behind-the-scenes figure who could follow the seven-time world champion, according to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.

Hamilton shocked the F1 world with the announcement of his bombshell Mercedes exit last week in one of the biggest driver moves in the sport’s history.

Before completing his switch to Ferrari, Hamilton will contest his final season with Mercedes in 2024, which kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2.

Hamilton insists he is “100 percent committed to the job” he needs to do at Mercedes this year.

"I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfil another childhood dream. Driving in Ferrari red,” he added in his first public comments since the move was announced.