Ranking every 2025 F1 driver from safest to most vulnerable with Lewis Hamilton in eighth

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The 2025 Formula 1 campaign is set to be one of the most exciting seasons in the sport’s history with close competition up and down the field.

Max Verstappen will be the man to beat after he clinched his fourth consecutive title in 2024. But the Dutchman will have his work cut out this year as his Red Bull is no longer as dominant.

McLaren won the Constructors’ Championship over Ferrari by 24 points as both teams made huge strides forward in development. The Woking-based outfit have the fastest package heading into 2025 and will be the ones to catch on track.

But the rest of the field have made significant preparations for this season, particularly with their driver pairings. The 2024 silly season produced chaos in the driver market with six new full-time drivers and 10 transfers, including Lewis Hamilton’s sensational move to Ferrari.

Many teams have secured their drivers for the long-term heading into the new era of regulations in 2026. But not all of the 20 competitors are safe – six are out of contract at the end of this year and even others who have multi-year contracts may also be a risk of losing their seats.

Here is a ranking of every 2025 F1 driver from the most safe to the most vulnerable.

20 – Jack Doohan

One of the six new faces in F1, Jack Doohan is at risk of losing his seat at Alpine even before the summer break.

The Enstone-based outfit have acquired the services of Franco Colapinto as their reserve driver for 2025 and have paid a significant fee. With the Argentine seemingly brought in for the future and with Doohan’s contract allegedly only being for six races, the Aussie could be out of F1 as early as Miami.

19 – Yuki Tsunoda

Of the four Red Bull drivers on the grid, three of them are out of the contract at the end of the season, and Yuki Tsunoda is the most vulnerable.

The Japanese driver was snubbed of the second Red Bull seat by Liam Lawson, leaving him spending a fifth season at Racing Bulls this year. Tsunoda has admitted he may have to consider his options for the future, and Red Bull may pull the plug early to bring through another upcoming talent.

18 – Isack Hadjar

Red Bull are notorious for dropping drivers mid-season, and F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar could be the next.

The Frenchman displayed great pace last season in F2 and will be looking to take his opportunity in F1. But with him only contracted for 2025 and with the likes of Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo being dropped from Racing Bulls in the last two years, history is not on Hadjar’s side.

17 – Liam Lawson

Red Bull have trusted Lawson to go alongside Verstappen in 2025 as Sergio Perez’s replacement. The Kiwi driver will get his first full-season in F1 after making 11 sub-appearances for Racing Bulls.

No teammate of Verstappen has been able to challenge him since 2018. Lawson has been impressive in F1 so far, but in theory, he has 2025 to prove himself or he risks being the next driver to flop and vow out of Red Bull.

16 – Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes view Antonelli as a serious talent for the future with his meteoric rise through the junior ranks. But the Italian will be under immense pressure to perform in his rookie season.

Replacing Hamilton as an 18-year-old is a tough ask and 2025 will be a learning year for Antonelli. But if he fails to deliver, it may be wise to bring in Valtteri Bottas and relegate the young talent to the sidelines to better prepare for another crack at F1.

15 – Lance Stroll

Given his father owns the team, Stroll’s future at Aston Martin should be secure. But the Silverstone-based outfit have a decision to make as they enter a new era with Adrian Newey spearheading their operation.

The Canadian has struggled in comparison to teammate Fernando Alonso, with just six points finishes last season. Newey has been critical of Stroll in the past and if he cannot perform this year, the Brit may not want him in the exciting project going on at Aston Martin.

14 – Alex Albon

Albon is contracted to Williams until 2027 and has carried the team on his back since joining in 2022. But the Thai driver’s future may not be as secure as many may think.

Albon came under pressure when Colapinto replaced Logan Sargeant, with the 28-year-old making several mistakes. Now going up against a tougher challenge in Carlos Sainz, Williams may consider their options if he is torn apart by the Spaniard.

13 – George Russell

Russell may be out of contract at the end of the season, but it is unlikely that Mercedes would want to part ways with him.

The Brit beat Hamilton as teammates in 2022 and 2024, winning two races last season as he outperformed the seven-time champion on all counts. Mercedes will likely want to extend Russell’s contract – what they have to worry about is other teams snooping around for the possible free agent.

12 – Esteban Ocon

Haas have signed both their 2025 drivers on two-year deals, with Esteban Ocon coming in as the experienced head.

Ocon had his best test day ever with Haas at Jerez this week, suggesting he is more than ready for his new challenge. What will be a concern for the team is the Frenchman’s history of colliding with his teammates, and they will not want a repeat of that otherwise they may look elsewhere.

11 – Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman impressed in his three appearances in 2024 and comes into this season knowing what to expect having raced with Haas in Baku and Sao Paulo.

The 19-year-old has the potential to go far in his career. It is possible Bearman could struggle in a full season, but it is unlikely Haas will drop him before his two-year contract runs out ahead of a possible move to Ferrari.

10 – Gabriel Bortoleto

The first Brazilian to race in F1 since 2017, Gabriel Bortoleto is a serious talent after winning the F3 and F2 titles back-to-back as a rookie.

Bortoleto has impressed Sauber’s engineers in testing already as he looks to prove his worth ahead of Audi’s takeover in 2026. The team have faith in the 20-year-old, but whether they can give him a competitive car will be a concern.

9 – Carlos Sainz

Sainz has had a tremendous impact on Williams already since arriving from Ferrari. The Grove-based outfit will look to take advantage of the serious coup they have made by signing him.

The worry is whether they can deliver a fast car. Sainz is contracted until 2026 with options for 2027 and 2028, but he jump ship if he is unsatisfied with what Williams are producing.

8 – Lewis Hamilton

It seems strange to put Hamilton this low considering he is set to retire at Ferrari. But that retirement may come sooner than some may think if he fails to perform.

The seven-time champion comes to Maranello off the back of his lowest career finish in 2024. There is the option of a further year after his two-year deal expires in 2026, but Ferrari are looking at Bearman to potentially replace Hamilton if he cannot live up to the incredible hype.

7 – Pierre Gasly

Pierre Gasly took advantage of Alpine’s improvements towards the end of the year to grab a top 10 finish in the Drivers’ Championship in 2024.

The Frenchman displayed some great racecraft and speed as he grabbed a podium alongside teammate Ocon in Sao Paulo. Heading into 2025, Gasly will be looking to lead the team further up the field.

6 – Oscar Piastri

McLaren have two excellent drivers for the future in their line-up and they will certainly want to tie down Oscar Piastri to a longer deal beyond 2026.

The Aussie is looking to establish himself as the main driver in 2025. Piastri wants to avoid team orders this year as he is not looking to take a back seat behind Norris in the title fight.

5 – Fernando Alonso

While Fernando Alonso had held talks with Red Bull in 2025, the Spaniard opted to extend his contract with Aston Martin until at least the end of 2026.

Now 43, he is unlikely to move anywhere else in F1. Alonso could retire on the same day as Hamilton in what would be a historic farewell for the sport.

4 – Nico Hulkenberg

Given his impressive performances with Haas in 2024, it is not hard to understand why Audi have signed Nico Hulkenberg on a three-year deal.

Being the only German driver on the grid, the team will want the 37-year-old to be a part of their project for the long term. Sauber/Audi will benefit massively from Hulkenberg’s experience.

3 – Max Verstappen

Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull until 2028 – the joint-second longest contract on the current grid.

The Dutchman has been linked with a move away from the team and could leave before 2026 if he is unsatisfied with what Red Bull are producing. But Verstappen has consistently reiterated that he is happy where he is as he looks to grab a fifth title in 2025.

2 – Lando Norris

Norris‘ commitment to McLaren looks to have paid off handsomely after their constructors’ title win in 2024.

The Brit will be one of the favourites for the championship in 2025 and having learned valuable lessons from racing Verstappen last year, he will be better prepared to mount a challenge this season.

1 – Charles Leclerc

Contracted with Ferrari until 2029, Hamilton’s teammate Leclerc is the safest driver on the 2025 grid. It is very hard to imagine the Maranello squad parting ways with the Monagasque driver.

Ferrari are confident in their package heading into 2025 as they look to take the fight to their rivals. Leclerc scored more points than anyone else after the summer break last year, and it could be him to deliver a title to the Tifosi after 18 years.