8 Genius Mid-Season F1 Driver Changes That Worked Brilliantly Well

Red Bull Racing surprised us all by confirming Max Verstappen will take Daniil Kvyat’s seat at the team with immediate effect, after four rounds of the 2016 F1 season. Kvyat has been demoted to Verstappen’s Toro Rosso drive.

It’s clearly not just because of Kvyat’s messy showing at the last round in Russia - Red Bull’s urge to secure Verstappen’s future at the team is likely to have influenced the decision. But the whole situation got us thinking about other F1 driver changes mid-way through a season and actually, there were some that worked pretty damn well!

1. Bertrand Gachot to Michael Schumacher

Yes, the great Michael Schumacher was a mid-season replacement, taking over Bertrand Gachot’s car at Jordan for the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix after the Belgian driver’s imprisonment for an altercation with a cab driver. Schumacher qualified an impressive seventh but retired with a clutch issue on lap one. He quickly moved on to Benetton at the next race. He went on to become F1’s most successful driver with seven titles and 91 wins to his name. #KeepFightingMichael

2. Scott Speed to Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel was actually a super-sub for BMW Sauber at the 2007 US GP, replacing the injured Robert Kubica and scoring two points on his debut. He was then released from the team to join Toro Rosso and replace the struggling Scott Speed from Hungary onwards, being picked up for a full 2008 campaign and then becoming a force to be reckoned with in F1 with Red Bull and Ferrari.

3. Jacques Villeneuve to Robert Kubica

Jacques Villeneuve had been in F1 for a long time but his 2006 season with BMW Sauber was far from impressive. After picking up an injury at the German GP, he was replaced by young star Robert Kubica for Hungry.

He finished seventh but was later disqualified as his car was found to be too light. Villeneuve and BMW Sauber then parted ways, with Kubica being retained for the rest of the year, finishing third at Monza. He remained in F1 for four seasons, scoring one win and many podiums, before a horrific rally crash effectively ended his career at the top flight of single-seater racing. The Polish driver has recently been competing in the WRC.

4. Michael Andretti to Mika Hakkinen

Poor performances led to Michael Andretti being dropped by McLaren towards the end of the 1993 season. A young Finnish driver was picked to replace him, Mika Hakkinen. He retired from two of the three rounds but finished on the podium in Japan. Hakkinen went on to claim two F1 titles with McLaren in F1 before retiring at the end of the 2001 season.

5. Alessandro Nannini to Roberto Moreno

Roberto Moreno was known to be a quick driver but he failed to pick up the opportunities he deserved. He was actually given the nickname “Super Sub” for being the person to go when needing a replacement. After Alessandro Nannini severed his right arm in a helicopter crash (the arm was successfully re-attached but he never returned to F1) in 1990 Moreno was picked to take his place and did an excellent job, finishing second in Japan and seventh in Australia.

6. Michele Alboreto to Jean Alesi

Jean Alesi impressed Tyrrell enough on his F1 debut at the 1989 French Grand Prix, where he replaced the experienced Michele Alboreto due to sponsorship issues, to gain an 18-month contract with the team. He finished fourth on his debut and backed that up with two more top five finishes later in the year. Alesi enjoyed a successful stint in F1, driving for the likes of Ferrari and Benetton, winning one race and scoring 31 other podiums.

7. Timo Glock to Kamui Kobayashi

Timo Glock’s 2009 F1 season with Toyota came to a premature end when he was injured in a crash during Japanese GP practice. Kamui Kobayashi was named as his replacement for the final two rounds. Despite mediocre feeder series results, Kobayashi immediately impressed with his feisty driving style and speed. He finished ninth in Brazil but did a great job in Abu Dhabi to finish sixth. He went on to race for Sauber and Caterham and currently races in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Super Formula.

8. Johnny Servoz-Gavin to Francois Cevert

Johnny Servoz-Gavin’s stint in F1 was short, opting to retire from the series after 12 starts and just three rounds into the 1970 season, having suffered an eye injury in an off-road competition the previous year. He was replaced at Tyrrell by rising star Francois Cevert. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first point in Italy and becoming one of the most highly rated young drivers around. Seen as his team-mate Jackie Stewart’s protégé, he scored one win and 12 other podiums before he sadly lost his life in a crash during the 1973 US GP weekend.

What other great mid-season replacements can you think of? Let us know in the comments!