F1 2026 driver lineup: Huge Mercedes decision made and Hamilton's future locked in

The 2026 grid is a step closer to completion this week, after Mercedes confirmed their driver lineup for the coming year.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will continue with the Silver Arrows for at least another year, the deal announced not long after Russell won his second race of the year.

It means that eight of the 11 teams - including new outfit Cadillac - have now confirmed their driver lineup for the 2026 season.

So with 2025 almost reaching its climax with Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris gunning for the drivers' championship, let's take a look at how each team are shaping up for 2026.

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McLaren

2025's constructors' champions have had their driver lineup for the new regulations sorted since early 2024, when both Piastri and Norris were handed contract extensions.

Piastri was then once again handed another extension to his contract - a contract that was due to run until the end of 2026 anyway - early on in the 2025 season.

Therefore, it's safe to say that Piastri and Norris will be McLaren's drivers for several seasons yet, although McLaren know all too well about releasing big-name drivers early from their contracts, having done so with Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo in the past.

Mercedes

As mentioned above, Mercedes have now confirmed that Russell and Antonelli will be their drivers for 2026.

Despite how long it took them to get the deals officially announced, there was never really any doubt once Verstappen had confirmed he would be staying at Red Bull, with Antonelli putting together a solid rookie season, and Russell performing brilliantly to secure two race wins and six further podiums in 2025.

Ferrari

When Lewis Hamilton signed his lucrative Ferrari deal in 2024, it was announced to be a multi-year contract, and the seven-time world champion will take Ferrari into F1's new era.

And he will be joined by Charles Leclerc once more in 2026, with the Monegasque driver having signed a new contract back in 2024 too, which is understood to be until the 2029 season.

Red Bull

Red Bull are one of the three teams yet to have confirmed their driver lineup for 2026.

Four-time world champion Verstappen is contracted until the end of the 2028 season and will be there in 2026 - although it was touch and go at one point, but who his team-mate will be remains a mystery.

Yuki Tsunoda replaced Liam Lawson after just two races in 2025, but has not fared much better, currently sat down in 17th in the drivers' championship having scored just 17 points from 16 race weekends at Red Bull.

Tsunoda is out of contract with the Red Bull family at the end of this year, and it's thought that Isack Hadjar could well be in the frame to secure that seat following an excellent rookie campaign. Or, could Lawson be given another chance to impress at the Milton Keynes-based outfit?

Williams

After he left Ferrari to make way for Hamilton, Sainz signed a multi-year contract with Williams, and he is set to take the Grove-based squad into a new era in which they hope to be challenging for more regular podiums.

Sainz and Alex Albon have guided Williams to their best season since 2016 this year, and they will pair up again in 2026.

Racing Bulls

Red Bull's sister team have not yet confirmed either of their drivers for the 2026 season.

They are very much waiting on Red Bull to make their decision as to who Verstappen's team-mate will be, before Racing Bulls will make a plan around that.

Hadjar and Lawson are both currently set to be out of contract at the end of 2025, but it's likely at least one of them will be at the Faenza squad next year, with potentially youngster Arvid Lindblad, Ayumu Iwasa, or even Tsunoda sitting in the other Racing Bulls seat.

Aston Martin

Remarkably, at 44 years of age, Alonso will be guiding Aston Martin into F1's new era.

Alonso, who hold the all-time record for the most amount of race starts, will begin his 23rd season in the sport in 2026, and it may just be the one in which he can claim his first race victory since 2013, with Aston Martin hoping to make huge strides.

Alongside him will be Lance Stroll, who is on a rolling contract with the Silverstone-based outfit.

Audi

One of two new names on the F1 grid in 2026. Although Audi are currently competing as Sauber, and will keep Sauber's two drivers for next season.

That means that German veteran Nico Hulkenberg will drive for the German car manufacturer fresh off the back of securing his first podium in F1 at the age of 37 at the 2025 British GP.

Alongside him will be Gabriel Bortoleto, who is another rookie driver who has impressed in 2025, and had already signed a deal before the season had started that would keep him at the team as they transitioned into Audi.

Haas

Haas will keep British driver Oliver Bearman for the 2026 season, after the rookie had already signed a multi-year deal before the 2025 season had started.

He's had an up-and-down year, but has scored 18 points so far, only 10 fewer than his much more experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon.

Ocon also signed a multi-year deal before the 2025 season, and the pair will team up once more in 2026.

Alpine

Bottom of the constructors' championship, and another team who are yet to confirm their full driver lineup.

Frenchman Pierre Gasly was already set to be with the team in 2026, but he last month signed another contract extension that sees him through until the end of the 2028 season, meaning he is the man to lead the team in the new era.

But his team-mate's future is less than certain. Franco Colapinto is yet to score a point in 2025, and he took over from Jack Doohan six races into the season who had also not scored a point.

Alpine's position in the constructors' standings is due to the fact they have only been scoring points off one driver, but managing director Steve Nielsen recently admitted that it's a choice between Colapinto and another rookie in Paul Aron for them for that second seat.

Cadillac

2026 will be the first time since 2016 that there will be more than 10 teams on the F1 grid, and F1's newest team will have two of the sport's most experienced veterans.

Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez have 16 career grands prix victories between them, as well as a combined 26 seasons-worth of F1 experience.

They will both be hoping to banish previous seasons with Red Bull and Sauber respectively and help Cadillac to progress in their first season in the sport.

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