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What happens when an F1 driver makes a bad career move? RacingNews365 takes a look at some of the worst.
Sometimes, a driver’s move in Formula 1 can pay off remarkably well, as exemplified by Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes in 2013. Despite facing criticism initially, Hamilton’s six World Championships have proven he made the right choice. However, not all driver moves yield successful outcomes, as seen in Daniel Ricciardo’s switch from Red Bull to Renault before the 2019 season. Feeling overshadowed by Max Verstappen at Red Bull and uncertain about the team’s Honda deal, Ricciardo’s move did not lead to significant results until he decided to join McLaren for 2021. Fernando Alonso has also faced unfortunate timing throughout his career, missing the opportunity to secure five World Championships due to a mere 11 additional points. After Ferrari’s struggles in the turbo hybrid era, Alonso’s move to McLaren-Honda in 2015 proved to be a wasted opportunity, as the team’s chassis issues overshadowed the blamed Honda power unit deficiencies. Similarly, Jacques Villeneuve’s move to the BAR team in 1999, which had high hopes but faltered in its debut season, led to a decline in his career.
