F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?

The details in a Formula 1 driver contract is highly-guarded information, but often the length of the deal is released to the wider world.

Here is how long each F1 driver contract is believed to be and therefore what moves could be possible and when in the future.

McLaren

Lando Norris – 2030

The reigning F1 world champion recently announced a new four-year contract with McLaren which will keep him at the team until at least 2030. It is also believed to contain contract clauses which could extend that deal further.

Norris joined McLaren as a junior driver in 2017, stepping up to the F1 team in 2019 and becoming world champion in 2025.

Oscar Piastri – 2028

At the start of 2025, Oscar Piastri signed a new deal at McLaren to keep him tied to the team until the end of 2028.

The Australian driver joined McLaren for his F1 debut in 2023 following a hearing with the FIA Contract Recognition Board to settle a dispute between Alpine and McLaren.

Mercedes

George Russell – 2027

Despite Mercedes’ previous pursuit of Max Verstappen, George Russell has been confident of his place at the team with his contract in place. The British driver is signed up to the end of the 2027 season.

Russell joined Mercedes in 2022 following three seasons effectively on loan at Williams where he made his F1 debut in 2019.

Kimi Antonelli – 2027

Kimi Antonelli is also believed to have a contract at Mercedes that runs until the end of 2027.

The Italian replaced Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes driver line-up when he left for Ferrari in 2025.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull

Max Verstappen – 2030 

Max Verstappen and Red Bull announced a new contract that will run until the end of 2030 at least at the 2026 Dutch GP.

Verstappen, who became a Red Bull junior in 2014, made his F1 debut with sister squad Toro Rosso in 2015 aged just 17 and was promoted to the Red Bull team midway through the 2016 season.

Isack Hadjar - 2026 

Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull deal is set to expire at the end of 2026, having joined the senior team from Racing Bulls last winter.

The French driver made his F1 debut in 2025 for Racing Bulls, immediately impressing, highlighted by a podium at the Dutch GP and resulted in his rapid promotion to Red Bull from 2026.

Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton – 2027

Ferrari has often refrained from revealing the details of contract lengths of its drivers, but all parties have confirmed the deal will run until 2027 at least – meaning, with contract clauses, he signed a three-year deal when he joined back in 2025.

Hamilton made his F1 debut for McLaren in 2007, taking his maiden world title in 2008, before moving to Mercedes in 2013. The British driver won another six world titles with the German manufacturer in his 12 years at the team.

Charles Leclerc – 2028

Ferrari announced Charles Leclerc had agreed to a new deal on the eve of the 2026 Monaco GP, stating he was staying at the Maranello squad “for the coming seasons”. It is believed the new deal keeps him in red until at least the end of 2028, with the option of further years.

Leclerc was a Ferrari junior and made his F1 debut on loan at Sauber in 2018 before joining Ferrari’s driver line-up in 2019 where he has remained an ever-present fixture since.

Williams

Alex Albon – 2027

Alex Albon signed a contract extension with Williams ahead of the 2026 Dutch GP to keep him at the team until the end of 2027.

The Anglo-Thai driver made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2019 and made a mid-season switch to Red Bull. Albon was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020 and spent one year out of F1 before returning to the grid in 2022 with Williams.

Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

Carlos Sainz – 2028

One day after Albon’s renewal was announced, Carlos Sainz had his future confirmed with a multi-year deal at Williams at the 2026 Dutch GP which is believed to run until the end of 2028 with contract clauses.

Sainz has raced for almost half the F1 grid despite only making his debut in 2015, where he started at Toro Rosso before a midseason switch to Renault in 2017. The Spaniard then joined McLaren in 2019 for two seasons and then on to Ferrari for four years. Sainz joined Williams in 2025.

Racing Bulls

Liam Lawson – 2026

Like the majority of Red Bull youngsters, Liam Lawson has lived on one-year contracts and 2026 is no different. The Kiwi reacted well to being demoted to Racing Bulls after just two rounds as a Red Bull driver, and duly secured his short-term future at the team for this year.

Lawson made his F1 debut back in 2023 as an injury stand-in for Daniel Ricciardo, and in 2024 he permanently replaced the Australian at Racing Bulls from the United States GP. That led to his ill-fated Red Bull promotion and subsequent return to Racing Bulls in 2025.

Arvid Lindblad – 2026

F1’s only rookie on the 2026 grid was given a one-year deal to prove himself at Racing Bulls.

The British driver has impressed so far in his debut season and looks set to keep his place on the grid for 2027.

Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso – 2026

The only major question mark left regarding the 2027 F1 grid is Fernando Alonso. The 45-year-old agreed to a contract extension back in 2024 which will see him to the end of the 2026 season. 

Alonso made his F1 debut in 2001 for Minardi before spending one year off the grid as a Renault test driver and duly returning in 2003 for a four-year stint which yielded two world titles. An ill-fated 2007 at McLaren meant Alonso returned to Renault for 2008 and 2009 until he joined Ferrari for five years. A second stint at McLaren arguably was even worse amid its crisis with Honda, and he left both the team and F1 at the end of 2018. But Alonso returned to F1 with Alpine in 2021 (his third stint at the Enstone team) until he switched to Aston Martin from 2023.

Lance Stroll – 2026

Lance Stroll is in the unique position of arguably having a timeless contract given his father Lawrence Stroll owns the team – so he could race at Aston Martin as long as he and his father want him to. Back in 2024, a contract for “2025 and beyond” was announced, at least taking him up to the end of 2026, but it is expected to continue indefinitely.

The Canadian made his F1 debut with Williams in 2017 and spent two seasons at the team before joining Racing Point which was later rebranded as Aston Martin in 2021.

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Haas

Esteban Ocon – 2026

When Esteban Ocon joined Haas from 2025, it was described as a multi-year deal, with options believed to cover 2027, but so far both driver and team haven’t signalled an agreement to go beyond this season.

Ocon made his F1 debut midway through 2016 as a Mercedes junior driving for Manor. After the team folded, he joined Force India but was shuffled out of the line-up as part of the Stroll takeover at the end of 2018. After a year on the sidelines, Ocon returned to F1 in 2020 with Renault where he stayed until 2024 before moving to Haas.

Oliver Bearman – 2026

Oliver Bearman joined Haas as a full-time F1 driver from 2025 and his current contract is believed to expire at the end of 2026.

The British driver made a surprise F1 debut for Ferrari as a stand-in for Carlos Sainz at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Bearman made two further outings that year with Haas; the Azerbaijan GP for the banned Kevin Magnussen and then again for the Dane at the Brazilian GP when he was unwell. Bearman then became a permanent Haas F1 driver in 2025.

Audi

Nico Hulkenbeg - 2026

Nico Hulkenberg joined the Sauber squad in 2025 ahead of its Audi transition on a multi-year contract, which is expected to carry him into 2027 if both parties agree.

Hulkenberg’s colourful F1 career started at Williams in 2010 before a year out, only to return at Force India in 2012. The German then joined Sauber for 2013 but reunited with Force India a year later and stayed until the end of 2016. Two seasons at Renault ended with the German driver not finding a full-time spot for both 2020 and 2021, but he did make five stand-in appearances for Racing Point/Aston Martin in that time. Hulkenberg made his second full-time return in 2023 with Haas where he spent two seasons before joining the Sauber/Audi project.

Gabriel Bortoleto – 2026

The Brazilian made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2025 ahead of its Audi transition. Like Hulkenberg, his deal is described as multi-year with it expected to be extended for 2027.

Alpine

Pierre Gasly – 2028

In 2025, Pierre Gasly inked a new multi-year contract with Alpine that will keep him at the team until the end of 2028 at least.

Gasly made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso as a mid-season replacement in 2017, before a full season at the team in 2018. A short-lived stint at Red Bull in 2019 saw him demoted back to Toro Rosso where he stayed until the end of 2022. The French driver made a fresh start at Alpine in 2023 where he has remained since.

Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor of Alpine F1

Photo by: Alpine

Franco Colapinto – 2027

Franco Colapinto was arguably the biggest winner in a stable driver market in 2026 as it denied options elsewhere opening up for Alpine to assess. As a result, the Argentinian driver has been retained by the Enstone team for 2027.

Colapinto made his F1 debut midway through 2024 at Williams but found his options blocked for a full-time place at the team so switched to Alpine for 2025. History repeated itself as the Argentinian was again a mid-season replacement but this time did enough to secure a full-time deal from 2026.

Cadillac 

Sergio Perez – 2027

Sergio Perez was granted his F1 comeback with the new Cadillac team on a multi-year deal that will keep him at the squad until the end of 2027 at least.

Perez is another driver with an adventurous F1 CV which started at Sauber in 2011 where he impressed to secure a McLaren spot for 2013. A move to Force India in 2014 saw the Mexican play an integral role in saving the team from administration before eventually departing at the end of 2020 to join Red Bull. Despite a promising start to life at the Milton Keynes team, he was dropped at the end of 2024 before his contract expired and duly spent 2025 on the sidelines before returning to F1 with Cadillac in 2026.

Valtteri Bottas – 2027

Like his team-mate, Valtteri Bottas was another driver given a return to F1 with Cadillac. The Finn is also on a multi-year deal which is set to cover up to the end of 2027.

Bottas made his F1 debut with Williams in 2013 and unexpectedly joined Mercedes for 2017, helping the team to five world constructors’ crowns before his departure to Alfa Romeo in 2022. A three-year stint at Alfa Romeo/Sauber concluded at the end of 2024, with one year on the sidelines before joining Cadillac from 2026.