In the wake of a near-revolutionary reshuffling of players in the 2025 F1 driver market, only two teams, McLaren and Aston Martin, carry forward the same driver line-up as the previous year. This tumultuous shift in the driver landscape has prompted a close look at the expiration of each individual driver’s contracts, a critical piece of information for the forthcoming 2026 driver market.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are the dynamic duo manning McLaren. Norris’s most recent contract, announced in January 2024, guarantees his place in the team until the end of 2026. However, the “long-term” phraseology used by McLaren implies that he is likely secured for the 2027 season as well. Piastri, on the other hand, extended his tenure in March 2025 with a “multi-year” deal, suspected to keep him at McLaren until 2028 at least.
Ferrari has an intriguing line-up, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the helm. A somewhat ambiguous contract extension for Leclerc in January 2024 stated his association with the team for “several more seasons”. Industry whispers suggest that the deal may extend until the end of 2029, with a potential break clause following the 2027 season. Hamilton’s first contract with Ferrari, following an explosive switch from Mercedes, is believed to be a minimum two-year engagement.
Red Bull retains Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson. Verstappen inked a deal in 2022, securing his place with Red Bull until 2028, while Lawson replaced Sergio Perez for 2025. However, Lawson’s performance will be under strict scrutiny, given his relative lack of experience compared to other promoted Red Bull drivers.
Mercedes is fielding George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for 2025. Russell’s future with Mercedes may be hanging in the balance if the team decides to woo Verstappen. With Mercedes already showing significant trust in Antonelli, Russell might find himself exploring options elsewhere, with Red Bull already showing interest.
Aston Martin’s F1 driver line-up of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll should remain unchanged until 2027, with both drivers contracted until 2026. Alpine, on the other hand, has Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan, with Gasly signed through 2026 and Doohan’s position in a precarious state due to the newly signed Franco Colapinto.
Haas presents a fresh line-up in 2025 with Esteban Ocon and rookie Ollie Bearman, both contracted through 2026. Racing Bulls features Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar, both in the final year of their contracts.
Williams, partnering Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, has them both signed through the 2026 season. Sauber introduces a fresh line-up with Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, both of whom were announced on multi-year deals in 2024, most likely through the 2026 season.
In this high-stakes game of chess that is the F1 driver market, these contract details provide a roadmap for the potential moves and strategies teams may employ in the coming years.