There could be significant change on the 2025 F1 grid
Ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Sky Sports F1 detail how long each driver has left on their contract and analyse how their futures may play out.
Expiring at end of 2024
Sergio Perez, Red Bull: For some time, the seat alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull has been the sport’s most talked about. A hugely disappointing 2023 campaign for Perez created plenty of doubt over whether he would even be given the opportunity to see out the final year of his contract. With his position safe for at least the start of the 2024 season, it would take quite a turnaround for the Mexican to produce a campaign that could convince the team to offer him a new deal. Furthermore, team boss Christian Horner has already revealed he has been made aware of interest in a 2025 drive at Red Bull from multiple other drivers.
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Watch Charles Leclerc fend off Sergio Perez at the line by 0.171s in the Las Vegas GP
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari: Despite reports in Italy claiming Leclerc has agreed a five-year extension with the Italian team, officially he remains contracted only until the end of this year. While team principal Frederic Vasseur has said Ferrari are “not in a rush” to get new deals with either of their drivers completed, it appears to be a question of when, not if, confirmation will come through of an extension for Leclerc. The Monegasque was linked to Mercedes in the early stages of last season, but new deals for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have seen the prospect of such a switch fade away.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari: Given Sainz said on several occasions during 2023 he wanted to have his mid-to-long term future resolved before the start of next season, it would be very surprising if there is not an announcement over the coming weeks. While Sainz has been mentioned as a possible lead driver for Audi when they enter F1 in 2026, the most likely outcome for now appears to be for the popular Spaniard to remain with Ferrari, even if a new deal may not be as long as Leclerc’s.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin: He will be 43 when his current deal comes to an end later this year, but age appears to be no barrier for the remarkable Spaniard. After leaving Alpine to join Aston Martin at the start of 2023, Alonso made a stunning start to the season by taking six podiums in the first eight races. Alonso’s latest move came about after he felt disrespected by Alpine’s refusal to offer him a multi-year extension, a piece of history that does not appear to be lost on his team principal. Speaking at the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi, Mike Krack made it abundantly clear the team would like to keep Alonso around beyond 2024.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Karun Chandhok breaks down Fernando Alonso’s ‘outstanding season’
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin: Whether or not Krack wants to keep his other driver is less important. Lance Stroll, the only driver on the grid whose contract details are completely unknown, is the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll, and appears to have a seat for as long as his father remains in that position. Despite a solid start and decent finish to the season, he was comprehensively outperformed by Alonso and under a different hierarchy could have found himself out of a job for 2024. With Aston Martin looking to take another step closer to the front of the grid, Stroll may face greater scrutiny this season in what could become an even more coveted seat.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine: The Frenchman is heading into the last 12 months of a three-year extension signed in 2021. While he has been very solid and clearly deserves to remain on the grid beyond this season, it remains to be seen whether the team’s new investors will want to put their own imprint on the driver line-up for 2025.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine: After finally leaving the Red Bull setup to join Alpine on a two-year deal, Gasly endured an underwhelming first campaign with his new team as they failed to deliver the competitive car he was hoping for. A less turbulent 2024 may be necessary to convince Gasly, who finished ahead of Ocon in the standings, that he should not be looking elsewhere for the future.
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Alpine ambassador Zinedine Zidane discusses his passion for F1, whilst drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are hoping to match the former Real Madrid player and coach’s success
Zhou Guanyu, Sauber: The Chinese driver’s 2024 seat was one of few that was still unconfirmed midway through last season, but he finally received a one-year extension in September. The great news for Zhou, and the sport, is that there will be a home driver as Formula 1 returns to China for the first time since 2019. Beyond that, the 24-year-old needs a strong campaign to extend his stay at motorsport’s top table.
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri: Having witnessed plenty of movement on the other side of the garage as he drove alongside three different team-mates in 2023, Tsunoda had a fourth season with the team confirmed in September. At the age of just 23 and with plenty of time to improve, Tsunoda will be one of many drivers with an eye on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat. He has shown signs of having the sort of talent to merit that opportunity, but will need to be more consistent to grab such a chance. There has also been speculation linking Tsunoda with a future move to Aston Martin, who will be supplied by Japanese engine manufacturer Honda from 2026.
Daniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri: After making a surprise mid-season comeback, Ricciardo did enough to earn himself another year on the grid. He has made it clear his ultimate ambition is to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, but in his injury-interrupted return did not show enough speed to make that a realistic prospect. The hugely popular Australian may need to decide whether he is content continuing his career away from the front of the grid beyond 2024.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on the topsy-turvy story of Daniel Ricciardo’s last two years in F1
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas: After making a largely impressive return to the grid following three years without a drive, the 36-year-old German has been given another one-year deal. His superb qualifying performances caught the eye, and given the age Fernando Alonso is still excelling at, he could be around for a while yet. His main target will no doubt be ending his record streak of 203 race starts without a podium.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas: Like his team-mate, Magnussen has been given another year at Haas by team principal Guenther Steiner. The Dane has already come back from F1 wilderness once before, and needs a strong campaign to ensure he does not slip out of the sport again.
Alex Albon, Williams: A strong campaign saw the British-born Thai driver’s stock rise significantly in 2023. Williams appears to have been the perfect place for him to rebuild his career after a challenging start within the Red Bull system. He enters the second and final year of his deal with the team, who may need to make further progress if they are persuade him not to seek potential opportunities further up the grid.
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Watch Alex Albon knock his team-mate Logan Sargeant out of Qatar GP qualifying with a last ditch effort!
Logan Sargeant, Williams: The last driver on the grid to have his 2024 seat confirmed, Sargeant had to endure months of speculation over his future before being granted another year in F1. The American has a lot to prove after a rookie campaign littered with errors, and will come under pressure once more if there are not signs of progress during the first half of the campaign.
Valtteri Bottas, Sauber: The Finn signed a long-term deal when he joined from Mercedes in 2022, which is understood to run to the end of 2024 with an option for a further season. It’s unclear whether the option belongs to driver or team. Sauber, formerly Alfa Romeo, have failed to provide Bottas with a competitive car, while the 10-time race winner has perhaps failed to outperform his inexperienced team-mate to the degree many would have expected.
Expiring at end of 2025
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes: The delay in the agreement of a contract extension for the seven-time world champion created plenty of headlines before a two-year deal was finally sealed in August. The question now is whether this will be the 39-year-old’s final contract in F1. His desire for a record eighth title is undoubtedly what’s keeping him around, but the chances of a blockbuster switch to Ferrari would appear to be less likely than ever at this stage of his career.
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Red Bull chief Christian Horner is questioned about rumours surrounding his team approaching Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton
George Russell, Mercedes: Announced along with Hamilton’s extension, the team took up their option to add another year to Russell’s deal, which takes both drivers to the end of 2025. An inconsistent 2023 has left Russell needing to re-establish himself as Hamilton’s heir as the team’s lead driver. Whether or not he achieves that goal, there is little doubt he will be on the grid for many years to come.
Lando Norris, McLaren: The deal that felt like it was going to last forever when Norris signed a three-year extension in 2022 is edging towards completion. In the early stages of last season, it seemed a formality that the hugely talented Brit would be leaving the team either when or before the deal expired, but McLaren’s remarkable resurgence has complicated things. Would Norris rather drive alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull or be the leader of a team that is now back in the hunt for race wins? We’ll soon find out.
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Relive how McLaren went from the back of the pack towards the front of the grid during the 2023 F1 season
Expiring at end of 2026
Oscar Piastri, McLaren: The Australian rookie’s start to life in F1 was so impressive McLaren sought to extend his contract before his debut campaign was over. By tying the 22-year-old to the team until 2026, an insurance plan is in place in the event Lando Norris was to move on. In the event the Brit stays, McLaren might soon have the best driver pairing on the grid.
Expiring at end of 2028
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Max Verstappen wins yet another Grand Prix to close the curtain on the 2023 F1 season
Max Verstappen, Red Bull: The team’s move in 2022 to tie Verstappen down to a mega-deal looks to have been a smart one. They have the best driver on the grid secured and would only be paying him more if a renegotiation had been required. With Verstappen loving life at Red Bull, the only question, which we do not need to worry about for a while, is whether he will continue beyond 2028 given his concerns over the sport’s ever-expanding schedule.
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