Peter Bonnington was Lewis Hamilton's engineer for 12 seasons at Mercedes F1, and he is delighted with what they were able to achieve together. 'Bono', as his pilot called him, above all wants to keep the good memories of their collaboration.
“We've had our ups and downs along the way. We've had our ups and downs, but the ups outweigh the downs a hundred times over. We're here tonight to celebrate, but this is a bit of a ritual” said 'Bono' at the team's end-of-season event.
“At the last race of the season we all tend to come back here, gather together and reflect on what we've done. For Lewis, as you said, it's the end of an era , the end of this chapter with him.”
The engineer remembers difficult storms to weather, but he has no bad memories of this collaboration, which extended over more than a decade: “I loved every minute, even the hard times, because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
“We bounced back from some really tough times, but I'm extremely grateful to have been a part of his life and his success. I can't believe I'm still here to do it. He stayed with me too long time, then I must be doing something right.”
He also credits the role he played in keeping Hamilton focused and confident: “As you know, drivers tend not to have a coach, but we believe that engineers are actually the drivers' coach.”
“We are there to help them with all the technical aspects, but also psychological, and to make sure that we all stay together and stay on the right track.”
Asked what he will miss most about Hamilton, Bonnington answers the obvious: “As always. Lewis is a Sunday man. Every Sunday he gives his best.”
“That's what I'm going to miss the most, you know when the lights go out you're going to get 100% from this guy. He gives his all in every race. That's his most endearing quality, he has an extraordinary sense of racing.”
