2014

Formula One entered a new era in 2014 as sweeping hybrid power unit regulations transformed the competitive order. After four years of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel dominance, every team faced uncertainty over who would master the sport's biggest technical revolution in decades.

One of the biggest talking points was Lewis Hamilton's decision to leave McLaren for Mercedes just two years earlier. At the time, many questioned why the 2008 World Champion would swap one of Formula One's most successful teams for a manufacturer that had achieved little since returning to the sport. In 2014, that decision suddenly looked inspired.

Mercedes produced a car unlike anything else on the grid, winning sixteen of the nineteen Grands Prix and leaving Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to fight amongst themselves for the championship. While Daniel Ricciardo emerged as the surprise star of the season with three victories for Red Bull, the title battle quickly became an all-Mercedes affair.

Hamilton ultimately secured his second World Championship, while Mercedes began one of the most dominant periods in Formula One history. What had once appeared to be a risky career move was now recognised as one of the greatest decisions any driver had ever made, setting Hamilton on course for six more years of championship contention.