2026 will see a new era of F1 ushered into the sport as 22 drivers tackle the new cycle of regulations. But for some, it could also be their last dance on the grid.
Luckily, the cars will be smaller among other things so there will be space for the two extra stars joining the grid this season thanks to new American squad Cadillac.
F1 veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are both making a comeback with the team after a year away from a full-time seat, but how long will they last?
Cadillac are one of seven teams whose driver duo do not have a confirmed seat for 2027, meaning this year's silly season could get very messy.
If either Cadillac or the rebranded Audi team don't like the look of the way their drivers are handling the new cars, there should be plenty of replacement options on the driver market.
Silly season could be about to get chaotic. Let's breakdown all the current deals of the drivers on the 2026 F1 grid.
F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen gives Red Bull exit timeline as Newey ‘rethinks’ Aston Martin decision
Which drivers could be on the F1 transfer market for 2027?
Only four teams headed into 2026 somewhat safe in the knowledge that at least one of their driver duo should remain unchanged for 2027- Red Bull, Alpine, Ferrari and McLaren.
McLaren duo are locked in
The papaya squad have F1's newest champion Lando Norris committed to the team until at least the end of the 2030 campaign after signing a new deal after winning the Dutch Grand Prix, whilst team-mate Oscar Piastri is locked in until 2028.
Verstappen Red Bull contract
Having penned a new deal in August during the summer break, four-time champion Max Verstappen is also set to race for Red Bull until the end of 2030 despite the team's lack of pace. There were no free seats at Mercedes or McLaren
Hamilton and Leclerc at Ferrari
There was plenty of talk in 2025 about the Scuderia's driver contracts and although Lewis Hamilton's specific contract length was not given at the time of his blockbuster signing ahead of the 2025 season, it is widely believed to run until 2027.
Charles Leclerc, however, has recently signed a contract extension with Ferrari with reports varying as to how long the deal is. The Race report that the new deal could keep him at the team until at least 2030.
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin
One team to keep an eye on in particular is Aston Martin. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are out of contract at the end of this year and the Spaniard has already told media that if he doesn't feel he has had an opportunity to return to the top of the order in Adrian Newey's machinery, he will not want to retire until he has proved he can be competitive once again.
Current F1 driver contracts with expiry dates
The full rundown on current driver deals looks like this heading into 2026:
| Driver | Team | Contract Length |
|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 2030 |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 2028 |
| George Russell | Mercedes | 2026 |
| Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 2026 |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 2030 |
| Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 2026 |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 2030 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 2027 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 2027 |
| Carlos Sainz | Williams | 2027 |
| Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 2026 |
| Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 2026 |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 2026 |
| Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 2026 |
| Oliver Bearman | Haas | 2026 |
| Esteban Ocon | Haas | 2026 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | *2026 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | *2026 |
| Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 2028 |
| Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 2027 |
| Sergio Perez | Cadillac | *2026 |
| Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | *2026 |
*An asterisk indicates that this driver's contract is set to run until at least the year given, if not longer, but that an official end date may not have been given publicly due to the announcement simply stating a 'multi-year contract' had been awarded.
F1 DRIVER SALARIES: F1 driver salaries: What stars including Hamilton and Verstappen earn


