Formula 1 News: Jock Clear leaves Ferrari and Hamilton

In the scarlet heart of Maranello, where dreams of world championships are forged in wind tunnels and late-night strategy sessions, Jock Clear (pictured with Oliver Bearman at 2024 Qatar GP) had become a quiet pillar of stability at Scuderia Ferrari.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The veteran British engineer, born in 1963 with a career spanning Lola Cars, Benetton, Williams (where he engineered Jacques Villeneuve to the 1997 title), BAR/Honda/Brawn, and Mercedes, arrived at Ferrari in 2015 after a stint as Lewis Hamilton’s performance engineer during the Brit’s dominant 2013-2014 seasons with the Silver Arrows. Clear brought not just technical acumen but a calm, methodical presence that bridged eras—from Michael Schumacher’s relentless pursuit to the modern hybrid age.

For a decade, Clear embedded himself in the Scuderia’s fabric. He served as head of race activities, then transitioned into senior performance engineering and driver coaching roles, most notably guiding Charles Leclerc through his early Ferrari years and mentoring the Ferrari Driver Academy, including talents like Oliver Bearman.

When Lewis Hamilton finally fulfilled his lifelong dream by joining Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, the reunion felt poetic. Clear, who had known Hamilton’s rhythms from Brackley, was there to help bridge the gap between Mercedes precision and Ferrari passion. Though his primary focus had shifted to Leclerc and the academy by then, Clear remained a familiar voice, an ally who understood Hamilton’s data-driven demands and unflinching pursuit of perfection.

But 2025 proved brutal. Hamilton’s debut in red turned into a nightmare—no podiums, a winless year for the team (their first since 2021), and a sixth-place finish in the drivers’ standings, 86 points behind teammate Leclerc. The SF-25 struggled with balance, tire wear, and outright pace, leaving the seven-time champion visibly frustrated. Amid the struggles, whispers of internal changes grew louder.

Reports surfaced in September 2025 that Clear was set to depart by year’s end, a move that, while not immediately tied to Hamilton’s woes, cast a shadow over the garage.

On January 12, 2026, with the new season’s fire-ups looming and the 2026 regulations promising a reset, Jock Clear finally confirmed his exit in an interview. At 62, after more than 30 years in the relentless F1 circus—now expanded to a grueling 24 races—he cited personal reasons and life-work balance.

“My kids have left home and in the last couple of years priorities have changed slightly,” he explained. “Honestly, 24 races a year is a lot. I didn’t envisage a role where I wouldn’t be trackside.” He spoke warmly of the young talent he left behind—”really, really clever girls and boys in Ferrari who are in their late 20s, early 30s, cutting their teeth”—and expressed a desire to focus on mentoring, particularly encouraging more women and girls into motorsport through research and grassroots efforts. “I want to help more and more girls at a younger age get closer to motorsport,” he said, noting his own daughters, one an engineer.

For Lewis Hamilton, now 41 and entering his 20th F1 season, the news was another layer of uncertainty in an already turbulent chapter. Clear’s departure removed a link to his past successes, a trusted engineer who had once helped orchestrate title runs. While Hamilton’s race engineer Riccardo Adami remained in place, and the team emphasized stability in driver pairings, losing Clear felt symbolic—a reminder that even legends like the Jungle Cat of engineering needed to step back from the roar.

As Ferrari prepared for the all-new 2026 car—chassis finalized, seat fittings done—Hamilton rallied with a birthday post about entering the “Year of the Horse” and leaving the “Year of the Snake” behind. “The time for change is now,” he declared. Clear, watching from afar as a fan, believed Hamilton would return stronger, drawing parallels to Michael Schumacher’s slow-burn success at Ferrari. But in the quiet of Maranello’s corridors, the absence of one of F1’s most respected voices lingered—a veteran stepping away just as the Prancing Horse hoped to gallop forward again. The road to an eighth title would have to be paved without him.