Every Formula 1 driver out of contract in 2025 as Mercedes confirms George Russell’s future

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The Formula 1 driver market can be truly manic when lots of drivers are out of contract, so F1 Oversteer takes a look at those facing uncertain futures beyond 2025.

It was always likely that the driver market would explode last year as more than half of the Formula 1 grid started the season in the final year of their contracts, although it has been far quieter this season with just a handful of drivers out of contract in 2025.

Virtually nobody anticipated the seismic news dropping that Lewis Hamilton would leave Mercedes and join Ferrari in 2025. It sparked a battle to partner George Russell in Brackley and the future of Carlos Sainz also dominated the headlines.

The second Mercedes seat ultimately went the way of their academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will debut in F1 at 18 years old. Sainz, meanwhile, signed a multi-year deal to join Williams from 2025 after losing the Ferrari drive.

Mercedes have since revealed that Russell and Antonelli will remain with the team for the 2026 season, following months of speculation about the drivers’ futures.

Read more: F1 2026 grid: all confirmed driver line-ups and rumours

Just four seats are still up for contention in 2026, after Cadillac announced they had signed Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas for the team’s debut next year.

All focus now turns to Red Bull who are yet to reveal who will partner Max Verstappen in 2026, with Yuki Tsunoda and Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar all out of contract at the end of this year.

Alpine hold another empty seat in 2026, with the team yet to decide on whether they will retain Franco Colapinto or replace him with another driver. There is heavy speculation about who could take the second seat, with rumours that reserve driver Paul Aron could get the opportunity.

Red Bull: Yuki Tsunoda

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls triggered their option to extend Tsunoda’s contract for the 2025 season in June 2024. But the Japanese talent may be frustrated that Red Bull ignored him in favour of promoting Lawson to replace Perez as of 2025, with Tsunoda left in Faenza again.

Horner didn’t think Tsunoda has the mental strength to partner Verstappen, but was promoted into the role, after just two races of the 2025 season, after Liam Lawson struggled with the car. His future with the team remains uncertain with growing speculation that he could be replaced by Isack Hadjar.

But where he slots in elsewhere on the grid may be a mystery as while Damon Hill has told Tsunoda to contact Aston Martin – his backers Honda will supply their engines from 2026 – they may not have a vacancy until Alonso retires.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson

After tearing up one contract for the 2025 F1 season, Red Bull promoted Lawson to replace Perez in December 2024 on a one-year deal. The team from Milton Keynes only felt it was worth their time to afford Lawson a 12-month contract for his first season with Red Bull.

Red Bull wanted to protect themselves after having to terminate Perez’s contract extension for 2025, which also offered an option for 2026, in case Lawson struggled upon stepping up from Visa Cash App RB to partner Verstappen.

While Lawson had impressed the Red Bull hierarchy with his performances for their sister team RB as a stand-in driver during 2023 and over the final rounds of 2024, the Kiwi had still only started 11 Grand Prix in his brief Formula 1 career before replacing Perez.

The challenge appeared too heavy for the ‘rookie’ driver at the start of 2025, with the team demoting him back to Racing Bulls after just two races.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar

Red Bull promoting Lawson from their junior team to replace Perez beside Verstappen from the 2025 F1 season also created a vacancy in Faenza as Visa Cash App RB became Racing Bulls that Isack Hadjar would fill in December 2024.

But Red Bull only gave Hadjar a one-year contract to race in Formula 1 with Racing Bulls as the French-Algerian talent graduates from Formula 2 on the back of an unsuccessful title bid. So, Hadjar will be racing for his F1 future as a rookie in 2025.

Alpine: Franco Colapinto

Franco Colapinto made his debut at the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, replacing Jack Doohan at the team after just six races.

Although the nature of Colapinto’s contract has remained largely unknown this season, it is expected that the Argentine is on a rolling race-by-race agreement.

Colapinto’s F1 future remains uncertain after he failed to finish within the points so far this year.