Formula 1 is on summer break. The second half of the season begins on August 23 at the Dutch Grand Prix. In the meantime, several drivers’ contracts are up at the end of the season, leaving their future beyond 2026 in doubt.
Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli: 2027
Unsurprisingly, Mercedes will be sticking with championship leader Kimi Antonelli for the 2027 season.
Antonelli, who turns 20 later this month, is on track to become the youngest Drivers’ Champion in Formula 1 history. He holds a 50-point lead in the championship and has already won six Grands Prix in 2026.
Mercedes has not announced a contract with Antonelli beyond 2027. However, team principal Toto Wolff has made it clear that Antonelli is a part of Mercedes’ future, even if four-time world champion Max Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull in favour of Mercedes.
“We’re not afraid of having the two of them in the same team at some point,” Wolff said to Sky Germany at the Hungarian Grand Prix about a potential Antonelli-Verstappen pairing. “But in the current situation, we’re happy with the dynamic between Kimi and George. We’ve made great progress as a team. Adding another variable right now wouldn’t be right for our long-term development.”
George Russell: 2027
George Russell is under contract with Mercedes until the end of 2027. His place in the team had come under question due to rumours about a possible move by Verstappen.
However, Mercedes has confirmed that they will stick with their current driver lineup for 2027.
“We don’t want to change things,” Wolff told Sky Sports in June. “We’ve said that also to George; I think it’s a lineup that is good for us. I’m happy with the two of them.”
Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton: Multi-year
Lewis Hamilton is in the second year of his contract with Ferrari. It’s not clear how long his multi-year contract runs, but he has confirmed he will be with Ferrari in 2027.
Hamilton has had a resurgent season with Ferrari. He is second in the Drivers’ Championship, 50 points behind Antonelli. Hamilton picked up his first win in red at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June.
Charles Leclerc: Multi-year
Charles Leclerc announced a new multi-year deal with Ferrari during the Monaco Grand Prix. Once again, it’s not clear exactly how long the contract lasts, but Ferrari will keep the same driver lineup for at least the 2027 season.
It’s hard to imagine Leclerc anywhere else. He joined Ferrari’s driver academy in 2016 and has driven for the team since his sophomore season in 2019. He’s picked up nine wins with the team, including at this year’s British Grand Prix.
McLaren
Lando Norris: Multi-year
Like Leclerc, it’s hard to imagine Lando Norris in a different team. He joined McLaren as a junior driver in 2017 and has driven for the team since he entered Formula 1 in 2019.
The reigning world champion has the most race starts as a McLaren driver and helped the team with back-to-back Constructors’ Championships in 2024 and 2025. He is also the first Drivers’ Champion for McLaren since Hamilton in 2008.
Norris signed a multi-year contract extension with McLaren ahead of the 2024 season, though his previous deal didn’t expire until the end of last season. It’s not clear how long his new contract lasts, but he is under contract with McLaren for at least the 2027 season.
Oscar Piastri: Multi-year
Oscar Piastri signed a multi-year contract extension with McLaren in March of 2025. It’s not clear exactly how long his new contract lasts, but it’s at least until the end of 2028.
Piastri has been with McLaren since he joined the grid in 2023. He, alongside Norris, helped McLaren win back-to-back Constructors’ Championships in 2024 and 2025.
Like Russell, Piastri has been involved in rumours about a move to Red Bull should Verstappen choose to switch teams.
However, McLaren, like Mercedes, has stated they do not intend to change their driver lineup for 2027.
“I’d be very surprised if Lando or Oscar went elsewhere, because they are very happy,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown told Sky Sports ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. “Of course, they have contracts, but besides that, we’re very happy with them, and they are very happy here.”
Unlike Mercedes, Brown did leave the door slightly open for Verstappen to join McLaren.
“If for some strange reason someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub, then yeah, of course, Max is a four-time World Champion.”
Red Bull
Max Verstappen: 2028
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season. However, there are performance clauses that could allow him to leave the team early.
Verstappen can activate his exit clause if he is below the top two in the Drivers’ Championship at the summer break. He sits sixth with 109 points, 110 behind Antonelli in first.
Rumours about Verstappen leaving Red Bull have circulated since 2025 and originally centred around Mercedes.
There have also been rumours about a move to McLaren. Adding fuel to these rumours is that Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is moving to McLaren for the 2028 season as their Chief Racing Officer.
Both Mercedes and McLaren have stated they are happy with their current drivers lineups.
Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen has also dismissed rumours of a move.
“There’s been a lot written about it,” Vermeulen told Austrian outlet oe24 in July. “But the truth is, Max wants to finish his time with Red Bull. He has a contract until 2028 and would like to fulfill it.”
Verstappen has been the driver most critical of Formula 1’s new regulations. Earlier in the season, he discussed possibly retiring from the sport.
“Privately, I’m very happy,” Verstappen told the BBC after the Japanese Grand Prix in March. “You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Whatever decision Verstappen makes about his future, the Formula 1 driver market likely hinges on it. If he were to leave Red Bull, or Formula 1 entirely, it would likely cause a shake-up in the grid akin to when Hamilton moved to Ferrari.
Isack Hadjar: 2026
Isack Hadjar is Verstappen’s seventh teammate in eight years. While he trails Verstappen 8-3 in both the qualifying and race head-to-head, Hadjar has handled himself well in his first season with Red Bull’s senior team.
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson: 2026
Liam Lawson has had a much stronger season in 2026 compared to 2025. He’s scored points in all but three races, one being the Miami Grand Prix during which his car went into anti-stall.
While Lawson has shown strong form, the biggest concern for his future in Formula 1 is whether there is space for him with Red Bull, either in the senior team or with Racing Bulls.
Nikola Tsolov, a Red Bull junior driver, holds a 20-point lead in the Formula 2 championship. If Red Bull wanted to promote Tsolov to Formula 1 in 2027, one of their current drivers would need to find a seat elsewhere. Although that would also depend on what Verstappen decides to do in 2027.
Arvid Linblad: 2026
Arvid Linblad is the only rookie on the grid in 2026. He trails Lawson 43-23 in points and 8-3 in the race head-to-head. However, the two drivers have often finished near each other, both in the ranking and on the timesheet.
While Linblad has had a good rookie season, he does not have a seat confirmed for 2027. Though given his performance in his first season, it would be surprising if he weren’t on the grid next year.
Alpine
Pierre Gasly: 2028
Pierre Gasly signed a two-year contract extension with Alpine in September 2025. His current contract expires at the end of the 2026 season, so the extension will last until the end of 2028.
Gasly has been with Alpine since 2023. He finished third at the Monaco Grand Prix in June, making him the only driver outside of the top four teams to finish on the podium in 2026.
Franco Colapinto: 2026
Franco Colapinto is one of many drivers without a contract for 2027. He’s had a stronger season in 2026 compared to 2025, when he failed to score a point.
He’s scored 19 so far in 2026, though he’s still well behind his teammate Gasly with 42.
“If he’s good enough, he’ll stay,” Alpine Managing Director Steve Nielson said of Colapinto’s future ahead of the British Grand Prix. “And if he’s not, then there’s a better option. That’s just Formula 1.”
Haas
Ollie Bearman: Multi-year
Ollie Bearman signed a multi-year contract with Haas ahead of his rookie season in 2025. It’s not clear how long his current contract lasts; however, Haas has not confirmed its driver lineup for 2027.
Bearman has been the stronger of the two Haas drivers in 2026. He’s beating Esteban Ocon 8-3 in the qualifying head-to-head and 7-4 in Grands Prix. It’s also worth noting that Bearman has three DNFs in 2026, while Ocon has none.
Esteban Ocon: Multi-year
Like Bearman, Ocon signed a multi-year contract with Haas ahead of the 2025 season. Once again, it has not been stated how long the contract lasts, but he has not been confirmed for 2027.
Ocon has struggled compared to Bearman throughout 2026, putting his seat under threat.
Ferrari academy driver Rafael Câmara sits third in the Formula 2 championship. Câmara is the 2025 Formula 3 champion and has been involved in rumours about joining Haas for 2027.
“It’s good to see,” Câmara said of the rumours in an interview with F2 in August. “You don’t really know at the moment, but it’s nice to have this, and to see that the dream is close.”
Audi
Gabriel Bortoleto: Multi-year
Gabriel Bortoleto signed a multi-year contract with Sauber ahead of his rookie season in 2025. Audi took over the team for 2026.
Like many drivers with multi-year contracts, it’s not clear how long Bortoleto’s current deal lasts. However, he made it clear during the Hungarian Grand Prix that he would be with Audi in 2027.
“My future is already sorted out with Audi,” Bortoleto told Sky Sports F1. “I am there for many years, let’s put it this way. I cannot say the length of the contract; I leave it to them if they want to make it public.”
Nico Hulkenberg: Multi-year
Nico Hulkenberg also signed a multi-year deal with Sauber ahead of the 2025 season. Once again, it hasn’t been confirmed how long the contract lasts, though it has been suggested it goes until the end of the 2027 season.
Hulkenberg suggested that he could continue with Audi beyond 2027.
As long as I’m having fun, the stopwatch is accurate, and the team wants me, I’ll drive for Audi," Hulkenberg told German magazine Sport Bild in August. “I can imagine that continuing for quite some time.”
Williams
Carlos Sainz: Multi-year
Carlos Sainz is in the second year of a multi-year contract with Williams. He achieved two podiums in 2025, and Williams finished fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Williams has taken a step back in 2026. They sit ninth in the Constructors’ with just 11 points in as many rounds. The drop in performance has called Sainz’s future with the team into question.
During the Austrian Grand Prix, Sainz was asked if he was considering other options.
“I’m not,” Sainz told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets. “Seriously, I’m not, because I have so much work to do here in Williams right now over the next few races and the amount of simulator sessions we’re doing, the amount of meetings that are being held over the last few months.”
“I’ve also told my team to leave me a bit on my own until the summer break, just to try and help Williams improve the situation as much as possible,” Sainz added. “And then in the summer break, it will obviously be the time to think about it, look at the options.”
Alex Albon: Multi-year
Alex Albon signed a multi-year contract with Williams in May 2024. While it’s not clear how long his current deal runs, it could take him to the end of 2027.
Albon trails Sainz 6-5 in both points and in the race head-to-head. The qualifying head-to-head has been more lopsided, with Sainz out-qualifying Albon 9-2.
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso: 2026
Fernando Alonso’s contract with Aston Martin is up at the end of the 2026 season. The two-time world champion has been with Aston Martin since 2023. The team sits 10th in the Constructors’ standings with one point.
At 45 years old, it’s unclear how much longer Alonso will stay in Formula 1. He has to decide whether he wants to retire, stay with Aston Martin, or move to another team.
Lance Stroll: 2026
Like Alonso, Lance Stroll’s contract with Aston Martin is up at the end of the 2026 season. However, his father Lawrence Stroll owns the team. It’s hard to imagine Stroll leaving Aston Martin while his father is the team’s owner.
Cadillac
Sergio Perez: Multi-year
Sergio Perez returned to the Formula 1 grid on a multi-year deal with Cadillac. The contract is expected to last until the end of 2027.
Perez is a six-time Grand Prix winner; however, Cadillac has not scored a point yet in its first season on the Formula 1 grid.
Perez is leading the qualifying head-to-head 6-5 against his teammate Valtteri Bottas and the race head-to-head 6-3. Both drivers retired from the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix.
Valtteri Bottas: Multi-year
Like Perez, Valtteri Bottas signed a multi-year deal with Cadillac starting in the 2026 season.
Both Bottas and Perez returned to the Formula 1 grid after sitting out the 2025 season. Bottas is a 10-time Grand Prix winner.
