Which F1 drivers are out of contract after 2023? Lewis Hamilton heads select group

Harry Smith
Sunday 9 April 2023 23:00 - Updated: 09:37

F1 is the fastest and most glamorous motorsport series in the world and with only 20 full-time drives available, competition for places on the grid is fierce.

With ten race winners on the grid in 2023 there is no shortage of talent among the current F1 crop, but the pressure remains extremely high, especially with proven race-winner Daniel Ricciardo sitting on the sidelines and a host of talented rookies coming through the feeder series ranks.

While fans may have become accustomed to the long-term deals handed out to the likes of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris in recent years, one-year or two-year deals are the norm meaning there is often a healthy driver turnover year on year.

Silly season may still be months away, but the rumour mill regarding contract discussions and driver transfers is already in full swing.

Which drivers are out of contract after 2023?

As things stand, seven drivers will see their contracts expire at the end of the 2023 season, although discussions for some of these drivers could get underway before the summer depending on their performances during the first half of the campaign.

One man's name will stand out above the rest though with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton yet to sign an extension with Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Lewis Hamilton's career with Mercedes has spanned nearly a decade with the 38-year-old joining the team back in 2013 ahead of the turbo-hybrid era.

Since then, Hamilton and Mercedes have formed one of the most iconic partnerships in F1 history, winning six driver championships and locking in eight consecutive constructors championships.

However, the decline in Mercedes' performance has been exacerbated by the W14 and Hamilton could be considering a departure or even retirement if the gap to Red Bull doesn't close during the 2023 season. He has been linked with Ferrari in recent weeks.

With no race-winning seats available, the seven-time world champion faces a contract conundrum in 2023, but on Mercedes' side, there is certainly demand to keep Hamilton contracted.

Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)

Yuki Tsunoda will be expecting his contract situation to be resolved well in advance of the summer break following an impressive start to the 2023 F1 season.

The Japanese driver made notable improvements in his second season as an F1 driver and has continued that improvement into 2023, following up consecutive P11 finishes with AlphaTauri's first points of the season in Melbourne.

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost recently stated: "I think he should drive at Alpha Tauri again in 2024", before suggesting him as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2025.

Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri)

While Tsunoda's future at AlphaTauri looks secure, the same cannot be said for Nyck de Vries.

The Dutch driver has struggled to make an impact during the first three rounds of the season and will be desperate to get his first points of the season on the board sooner rather than later, given he only holds a one-year contract with AlphaTauri.

Worse still for de Vries is the current crop of Red Bull junior drivers with Ayumu Iwasa and Liam Lawson both serious contenders for an F1 drive in 2024.

Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

2022 was a mixed year for Kevin Magnussen and Haas.

The partnership returned in barnstorming fashion at the season opener as Magnussen made his return to Haas with a P5 finish, but the team and the Dane's performances tailed off during the season.

Magnussen did, however, achieve a fairytale pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix, capitalising on changing weather conditions to write a magical storyline at Interlagos.

Given his long-term working relationship with Guenther Steiner, it is expected that Magnussen will drive for Haas again in 2024, although this will likely be on another short-term deal and there are currently no rumours about contract talks between the two parties.

Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

While Magnussen has failed to pull up any trees in 2023 so far, Hülkenberg's return to F1 has been eye-catching for all the right reasons.

Returning to the grid after a three-year absence, the German driver kicked off his 2023 season by outqualifying team-mate Magnussen in each of the opening three rounds and scoring an impressive P7 finish in Melbourne.

With Hülkenberg now 35 years of age, a long-term deal for the German driver is extremely unlikely, but Haas will be keen to retain him beyond the end of 2023.

Logan Sargeant (Williams)

Logan Sargeant will have less pressure on his shoulders in 2023 than many rookies have in the past with this season being a year of adaptation for the Floridian.

The first full-time American driver since Scott Speed headed into his F1 debut in Bahrain having finished P4 in the F2 standings.

As long as Sargeant stays competitive with team-mate Alex Albon, Williams team principal James Vowles will be keen to renew his deal for 2024 and beyond.

Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

Zhou Guanyu's contract situation is an interesting predicament for Alfa Romeo.

The Chinese driver impressed the team during his rookie season and has been matching the performances of Valtteri Bottas since the 2022 summer break.

Zhou's steady performances and the massive sponsorship he brings to the team will certainly be helping his cause ahead of any potential contract renewal talks, but there is one man who can change the course of Zhou's F1 career.

Alfa Romeo junior driver Theo Pourchaire will likely be locked into an F2 title battle this year against Ayumu Iwasa following two impressive foundation years in the series.

Should the Frenchman come out on top it could be very hard for the Italian team to prioritise Zhou over their 19-year-old prospect, so expect Zhou's contract renewal to go down to the wire.

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