F1 DRIVER CONTRACTS: From Max Verstappen to Lewis Hamilton – how long do the drivers’ current deals last?

One of the hottest topics during every Formula 1 season is that of drivers’ futures, with some close to their contract expiry date, some signed up for the short-term and others boasting longer deals. So, who will be driving where in 2027 and beyond as things stand?

McLaren

Lando Norris: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Norris is contesting his eighth season in F1, and at McLaren specifically, with both the driver and team staying loyal to each other. His deal runs until at least the end of 2026, but is understood to be longer with potential break clauses.

Oscar Piastri: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Having impressed greatly since his F1 debut in 2023, Piastri has been locked down by McLaren until at least the end of the 2027 season, and possibly longer. As with any contract, there are likely to be various options and clauses on both sides.

Mercedes

George Russell: 2026

Russell has raced for Mercedes since 2022, spending three seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton and 2025 alongside newcomer Kimi Antonelli. After lengthy negotiations with team boss Toto Wolff, the Briton’s latest deal – taking him through at least 2026 – was confirmed last October.

In a recent media session Russell offered extra detail on his contract situation, saying: “I will be here next year with the team and that's that. There's not really much more to say.

“It's a multi-year deal. It's numerous years, as we said last year, and often in a lot of these contracts, even if metrics aren't hit, if things are happy then you continue, but as I said, metrics will very likely be hit.”

Kimi Antonelli: 2026

Mercedes opted for an unchanged 2026 line-up by also sticking with Italian teenager Antonelli, whose rookie campaign featured a combination of incredible highs and painful lows, as well as persistent off-track noise linking Mercedes to Red Bull’s Verstappen.

Red Bull

Max Verstappen: 2028

Talking of Verstappen, he still holds a contract with Red Bull through 2028 – although there are believed to be performance-based get-out clauses included that could allow the Dutchman to extricate himself early and move elsewhere.

Isack Hadjar: 2026

Hadjar earned promotion to Red Bull for the 2026 season after an impressive rookie term at Racing Bulls, with the French youngster now pushing to remain at the senior team much longer than some of his predecessors.

Ferrari

Charles Leclerc: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Signed in early 2024, just before Hamilton was announced as his team mate from the start of the 2025 season, Leclerc’s current deal is another unspecified multi-year arrangement featuring options that give both sides flexibility.

Lewis Hamilton: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Hamilton’s blockbuster switch from Mercedes to Ferrari was also communicated under a multi-year headline. There have been suggestions that the deal is for three years, running through 2027, which is the length of contract he pursued at the Silver Arrows.

Williams

Alex Albon: ‘Multi-year’ deal

A former Red Bull racer himself, Albon returned to F1 with Williams in 2022 and has since made the Grove-based outfit his home. Following James Vowles’ arrival as team boss, the Thai-British racer signed a new deal in 2024 that is believed to run until the end of either 2026 or 2027 depending on performance clauses.

Carlos Sainz: ‘Multi-year’ deal

As well as keeping hold of Albon, Williams pulled off a coup when they won the race to sign Ferrari’s proven Grand Prix winner Sainz. Making the switch for the 2025 season, after Hamilton took his seat at the Scuderia, the Spaniard is tied to Williams through at least 2026.

Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson: 2026

Lawson has been rebuilding his F1 career after a rapid-fire Red Bull promotion and demotion last year. He rediscovered some form at Racing Bulls as 2025 developed, becoming a frequent points scorer, and secured another season at the outfit for 2026.

Arvid Lindblad: 2026

Lindblad is the latest Red Bull prospect to reach F1, starting out with a Racing Bulls seat through 2026. The 18-year-old impressed on his debut in Australia by becoming the third-youngest driver in the sport’s history – and the youngest British driver – to score points.

Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso: 2026

At 44, Alonso is the oldest driver on the F1 grid, but the two-time World Champion – who won those titles with Renault in the mid-noughties – is continuing as an Aston Martin driver for at least the 2026 season via the multi-year deal he committed to in early 2024.

Lance Stroll: 2026

Stroll has filled a seat at his father Lawrence’s team for several years, stretching back to 2019 and Aston Martin’s previous Racing Point guise. With the Canadian’s latest contract extension confirmed midway through 2024, he is likely to stay put while his dad is at the reins.

Haas

Esteban Ocon: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Haas signed an all-new driver pairing last year, having parted ways with Nico Hulkenberg (on his way to Kick Sauber/Audi) and Kevin Magnussen (embarking on a new career in sportscars). Experienced Grand Prix winner Ocon formed half of that line-up on a multi-year agreement.

Ollie Bearman: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Bearman announced himself to the F1 paddock with a spectacular stand-in performance for Ferrari at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, one that went a long way to him earning a full-time spot at Ayao Komatsu’s squad for 2025 – again on undisclosed multi-year terms.

Audi

Nico Hulkenberg: ‘Multi-year’ deal

As mentioned above, Hulkenberg left Haas for Audi’s incoming F1 project in 2025 on a multi-year deal, with options that are believed to give him the chance to race for the German automotive giants into his 40s if the partnership works as planned.

Gabriel Bortoleto: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Hulkenberg has been partnered at Sauber/Audi by Brazilian youngster Bortoleto, a back-to-back winner of the F3 and F2 championships who is also part of Alonso’s management stable. He is signed up to the squad through at least the 2026 season.

Alpine

Pierre Gasly: 2028

Alpine has been Gasly’s home since 2023, when the Frenchman cut his ties with the Red Bull family and started a new F1 chapter. He agreed a fresh multi-year deal last September – one that is due to run until at least the end of the 2028 campaign.

Franco Colapinto: 2026

Former Williams super-sub Colapinto returned to F1 with Alpine in early-2025, stepping up from a reserve role and replacing Jack Doohan. It was not the smoothest of rides for the Argentinian thereafter, but he did enough to keep his seat alongside Gasly into 2026.

Cadillac

Valtteri Bottas: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Bottas spent 2025 in a back-up role at Mercedes after losing his seat at Kick Sauber, but the 10-time Grand Prix winner sealed a return for 2026 with new team Cadillac – signing a deal that will run until at least the end of 2027.

Sergio Perez: ‘Multi-year’ deal

Cadillac chose two pairs of experienced hands for the start to their F1 journey, with six-time Grand Prix winner Perez – who was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2024 – also making a comeback on similar terms to Bottas.