Twelve years ago, Lewis Hamilton made the switch to Mercedes. At that time, the Brit had only one Formula 1 title to his name. After a successful stint at McLaren, he chose to take a ‘leap of faith’ with the then unproven Mercedes. Now, of course, we know how that transfer turned out. Twelve years later, with a move to Ferrari on the horizon, history could well repeat itself.
‘Formula 1 is a data sport’, so goes the familiar saying. The teams indeed use vast amounts of data to squeeze the maximum performance out of their cars. In addition to technical data such as fuel consumption, tire pressure, and aerodynamics, there is also a wealth of historical data. After nearly seventy-five seasons of Formula 1, countless interesting statistics have been collected. Some avid fans love nothing more than to analyze this data. Instagram user @f1statsguru discovered remarkable similarities between Lewis Hamilton’s move to Mercedes and his upcoming transfer to Ferrari.
Bizarre Similarities
Let’s first look at Hamilton’s last race for McLaren, the 2012 Brazilian GP. The reigning world champion from Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel, spun in the first lap and eventually finished sixth. Also, a young Sergio Pérez had to abandon his race in the first lap. In the end, a British McLaren driver, Jenson Button, won the race. The two Ferrari drivers completed the podium, with the Spaniard Fernando Alonso in P2.
Fast forward to Hamilton’s last race for Mercedes, the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The reigning world champion from Red Bull, Max Verstappen, spun in the first lap and eventually crossed the finish line in sixth place. Sergio Pérez also had to abandon his race in the first lap. In the end, a British McLaren driver, Lando Norris, won the race. The two Ferrari drivers completed the podium, with Spain’s Carlos Sainz in P2. Astonishing!
Interesting detail: in his second season with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton became world champion, partly thanks to significant changes in the regulations. In 2026, when he starts his second season with Ferrari, major changes in the rules are again planned. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell.
