The three best mid-season driver changes in Formula 1 history

The talk of the Formula 1 world at present is the ongoing battle for the Driver’s Championship between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Flying Dutchman has romped to glory in each of the last three seasons, with his two most recent titles coming at a canter. It looked as though the 2024 campaign would go similarly, however, upgrades to McLaren and stagnation at Red Bull have blown the title fight wide open. 

But while Norris attempts to close the 52-point gap to the reigning triple world champion throughout the final six races, another story has developed. That of course is the departure of beloved driver Daniel Ricciardo, who was dropped from RB – and F1 as a whole in favour of Kiwi Liam Lawson following the recent Singapore Grand Prix. 

The decision represented a disappointing moment for Australian motorsports, especially considering the stellar year the country has had in 2024. While Ricciardo is on his way out, compatriots such as motocross legend Harry Bink and fellow F1 driver Oscar Piastri have enjoyed sensational campaigns. The former of that duo landed the first-ever triple flip in motocross history in Brisbane earlier this year, while the latter has won two races in just his second season in the sport. 

Ricciardo’s departure in favour of Lawson could go one of two ways, and the powers that be at RB will be hoping that it follows in the footsteps of these five. Here are the best midseason moves in Formula One history. 

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Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen’s promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing during the 2016 season was a pivotal moment in his career. At just 18 years of age, the Dutch youngster replaced Daniil Kvyat just four races into the season and he proceeded to show the world exactly why so much faith was placed on his young shoulders. The second-generation racer picked up his maiden victory on debut for his new team at that year’s Spanish Grand Prix, taking full advantage of the first-lap collision between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to secure the victory. 

Since then, Verstappen has gone on to become an all-time great already, despite still being just 27 years of age. He managed to successfully usurp the aforementioned Hamilton as the dominant force in the sport back in 2021 as he picked up his maiden world championship. He then went on to claim two more titles on the bounce in dominant fashion, ruling over Formula 1 with an iron fist in the process. This term, he’s the odds-on favourite to make it four titles in a row, but Lando Norris will be doing everything in his power to stop that from happening. 

Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel’s switch from BMW Sauber to Toro Rosso in 2007 was a defining moment for the young German. After replacing Robert Kubica at the United States Grand Prix at the age of just 20 and scoring his first point – the youngest driver in history to do so at the time – the Heppenheim-born wonderkid moved to Toro Rosso midseason. He replaced the outgoing American Scott Speed, and he quickly showcased his potential. 

He picked up a stunning fourth-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix just months after the move, before going on to shock the world by winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza the following year. The result was the greatest in history for Red Bull’s sister team – as well as the Minardi team that came before it – and that secured Vettel a move into the senior Red Bull car. The rest, as they say, is history. 

The German won four straight world championships between 2010 and 2013, two of those coming in nail-biting final race deciders. He moved on to Ferrari in 2015 and took the Scuderia to the brink of the World Championship twice before ultimately losing out to Hamilton and his Mercedes. Vettel retired from the sport in 2022 and he will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever set foot in the cockpit, none of which would have been possible without that brave midseason move from BMW. 

Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly’s midseason move back to Toro Rosso from Red Bull in 2019 was both challenging and transformative. Struggling to meet Red Bull’s expectations alongside Verstappen, the Frenchman was demoted after just 12 races, with the final nail in the coffin coming in Austria when he finished one lap behind his more illustrious teammate. However, this shift allowed him to regain confidence and showcase his talent in a less pressurized environment. 

Gasly’s resilience paid off with a sensational victory at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix with AlphaTauri, following in the footsteps of the aforementioned Vettel who won the same race 12 years prior. Since then, he has gone on to move to the French team Alpine where he is currently the team’s lead driver. The man who replaced him at Red Bull, Alexander Albon, also struggled alongside Verstappen, as has the experienced Sergio Perez in 2024.