Many drivers have chosen to go away the group they spent years with in pursuit of a brand new venture, with various levels of success. If Max Verstappen have been to do the identical by becoming a member of McLaren, wouldn’t it show to be the correct profession transfer?
GPblog was the on a doubtlessly imminent deal between Verstappen and McLaren, the place the Dutchman would kind a formidable driver pairing alongside present world champion Lando Norris, the very driver he battled for the title till the ultimate race final season.
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Michael Schumacher: A disappointing spell with Mercedes
Historical past has proven that leaving a group the place a driver has spent years constructing sturdy foundations doesn’t at all times result in a greater future. One of many clearest examples is . Though 4 years separated his departure from Ferrari on the finish of 2006 and his comeback with Mercedes, the seven-time world champion’s spell at Brackley demonstrated {that a} recent problem doesn’t at all times go in response to plan.
Schumacher spent three seasons alongside Nico Rosberg after committing to Mercedes’ formidable long-term venture, a group that may go on to dominate Method 1’s hybrid period just some years later. Throughout his time there, nonetheless, the outcomes fell effectively in need of expectations.
Picture: Race Footage
Picture: Race Footage
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His Mercedes stint is remembered primarily for his good Monaco pole place in 2012 – later stripped due to a grid penalty carried over from the earlier race – and his podium end on the European Grand Prix in Valencia. Past these highlights, there was little to have a good time earlier than Schumacher introduced the curtain down on his Method 1 profession for good on the finish of the 2012 season in Brazil.
Sebastian Vettel: The Ferrari title dream that by no means got here true
One other comparatively latest instance is . After spending six seasons with Pink Bull Racing and successful 4 consecutive world championships, the German selected to go away the Milton Keynes-based group on the finish of 2014 in pursuit of his dream of changing into world champion with Ferrari. Finally, nonetheless, that dream by no means grew to become actuality.
Vettel loved loads of memorable moments throughout his six seasons at Maranello, even when the last word prize at all times slipped via his fingers. Throughout his Ferrari spell, he claimed 14 victories, 55 podium finishes and 12 pole positions, whereas ending runner-up within the drivers’ championship in each 2017 and 2018. He finally parted methods with the Scuderia on the finish of 2020 following an especially tough marketing campaign for each himself and the group throughout the COVID-affected season.
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Fernando Alonso: One other champion denied Ferrari glory
One other notable instance is Fernando Alonso. After spending 5 seasons with Renault (and one yr at McLaren) throughout two spells and successful each of his world championships with the Enstone-based outfit, the Spaniard determined to go away on the finish of 2009 to fulfil his long-held ambition of racing for Ferrari. On the time, the transfer regarded like the proper alternative so as to add to his tally of titles, with Alonso arriving at Maranello as considered one of Method 1’s largest stars. Regardless of coming agonisingly shut on a number of events, nonetheless, that elusive third championship by no means materialised.
Alonso nonetheless loved a number of excellent years in Ferrari colors, establishing himself as one of many grid’s benchmark performers. Throughout his 5 seasons with the Scuderia, he claimed 11 victories, 44 podium finishes and 4 pole positions, whereas ending runner-up within the drivers’ championship in each 2010 and 2012 after taking the title struggle right down to the ultimate race of the season. Following a tough 2014 marketing campaign, Alonso opted to go away Ferrari and return to McLaren, bringing an finish to a partnership that produced many memorable performances however finally fell in need of delivering the world title either side had hoped for.
Picture: Race Footage
Picture: Race Footage
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The newest instance is , the driving force who has spent extra seasons with a single Method 1 group than anybody else. The Briton remained with Mercedes for 12 seasons, successful six world championships and dominating the game from 2014 to 2021. Nevertheless, with the arrival of Method 1’s ground-effect rules, Hamilton was not capable of reproduce the extent of kind that had outlined his profession till his title battle with Verstappen in 2021. Because of this, he selected to go away Mercedes on the finish of 2024 and embrace one closing main problem by becoming a member of Ferrari, following a path much like Vettel’s.
His first season at Maranello proved to be massively disappointing, as he completed the marketing campaign with out a single podium, victory or pole place, main many to query whether or not it was lastly time for the seven-time world champion to retire. Hamilton has bounced again impressively this yr, nonetheless. A victory in Barcelona, mixed with a string of podium finishes and powerful outcomes, has lifted him to 3rd within the drivers’ standings and firmly again into title competition, exhibiting that his gamble to affix Ferrari has finally paid off.
