Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari has been judged to be the biggest F1 driver transfer shock of all-time, in a RacingNews365 poll, edging out former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton sent shockwaves through F1 with the bombshell news that he would be quitting Mercedes after the end of the 2024 season for a multi-year contract with Ferrari.
On the anniversary of the move being announced, RacingNews365 ran a poll, giving readers some of the biggest driver transfer shocks of all-time, and inviting readers to choose what they felt was the biggest one.
Hamilton received 31.77% of votes cast; some 7.29% ahead of Rosberg's decision to quit days after winning the 2016 title from Hamilton, thus bringing to an end their bitter time as team-mates at Mercedes.
One reader also offered the case of Mario Andretti returning to Ferrari in 1982 as a replacement driver after Gilles Villeneuve had been killed and Didier Pironi suffered career-ending injuries in a practice crash at the German GP.
It should also be noted that Hamilton to Ferrari received a plurality of votes, but not an absolute majority.
What is the biggest F1 driver transfer shock of all-time?
| Driver/Move | Result |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari | 31.77% |
| Daniel Ricciardo to Renault | 8.33% |
| Sebastian Vettel to Ferrari | 1.04% |
| Nico Rosberg retires | 24.48% |
| Michael Schumacher to Mercedes | 9.90% |
| Fernando Alonso to McLaren - 2007 | 2.08% |
| Fernando Alonso to McLaren - 2015 | 4.17% |
| Damon Hill sacked by Williams | 10.42% |
| Emerson Fittipaldi to Copersucar | 3.65% |
| Someone else (comments) | 4.17% |
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