2025 F1 driver line-ups: latest rumours, confirmed seats & contract news

That’s hasn’t been the only uncertainty in a team which, on paper, has two drivers secured for the coming years. Max Verstappen signed a record-breaking six year deal with Red Bull after his first drivers’ title in 2021, which should keep him in Milton Keynes until at least 2028. But his relationship with the team became unsettled in the first part of this year amid reports of a behind-the-scenes power struggle at the top levels of Red Bull; an investigation into misconduct involving Christian Horner — who was cleared; the imminent departure of superstar designer Adrian Newey and questions over the position of Verstappen’s mentor Helmut Marko.

This led to suggestions that Verstappen could leave Red Bull before the end of his deal, which were amplified by his father Jos. Max said he was committed to the team but, as the team began struggling against a resurgent McLaren and Mercedes, an explosive radio exchanged between Verstappen and the pitwall in Hungary ignited the rumours again.

Horner recently said that he’d been monitoring Mercedes’ George Russell — possibly formulating a backup plan should Verstappen look for the exit in the coming seasons.

Ferrari 2025 F1 driver line-up

Charles Leclerc Multi-year contract beyond 2025	Lewis Hamilton Multi-year contract beyond 2025

• Hamilton will join from Mercedes in 2025, replacing Sainz
• Leclerc committed to Ferrari with a new multi-year deal announced at the end of January

Ferrari will have a Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc line-up in 2025, after confirmation of the seven-time champion’s bombshell move from Mercedes.

Hamilton has been linked with the Scuderia for several years, but after two years of Mercedes struggle has now committed to the move, replacing Carlos Sainz, who is out of contract at the end of 2024. He will have turned 40 by the time he joins the grid ahead of his 19th F1 campaign in 2025, but there are no signs that his talent to lead a title charge is diminishing.

It sets up the mouthwatering prospect of a fierce team-mate rivalry between F1’s most successful driver and one of its hottest talents, who is still waiting for a car that can support a sustained title challenge.

Leclerc committed his future to Ferrari early with a multi-year deal announced in January, despite repeated frustrations at the team. There were times last season where Leclerc looked anguished at another lost opportunity, as he watched Verstappen cruise to victory while he was stuck with a car that didn’t match his talent.

Can a Hamilton-Leclerc duo once again deliver a title for the Maranello team. And who would be lifting the trophy?

Mercedes 2025 F1 driver line-up

George Russell Contract to 2025	Andrea Kimi Antonelli 2025 confirmed (likely multi-year option)

• George Russell has contract to 2025
• Rookie Kimi Antonelli signs to replace Lewis Hamilton

At one point, Mercedes seemed to be one of only two teams to have its driver line-up secured for 2025, with both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton signing extensions in the midst of the 2023 season. But a break clause in Hamilton’s deal has been activated and he will move to Ferrari in 2025.

It’s now been confirmed that his replacement will be Mercedes junior prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli who moved straight from Formula 4 to Formula 2 this season, and already has enough superlicence points to for F1.

Team boss Toto Wolff has said that the young Italian represents the “future” and the only question was whether Mercedes would deem him ready next season, or the following one. Antonelli drove this year’s F1 car during a practice session at the Italian Grand Prix and crashed on only his second flying lap. But the pace he showed convinced Wolff that he was ready.

“Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed,” said Toto Wolff, announcing Antonelli’s deal.

“We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership.

“Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent.”

On the other side of the garage, Russell’s future at Brackley looks likely to go beyond 2025. After a second victory for the team this year, he has the pace to fight wheel to wheel with the likes of Norris, Leclerc and even Verstappen, but a lack of consistency hindered his progress in 2023 — as he fell 59 points behind him team-mate in the drivers’ standings, and is again behind Hamilton in 2024.

McLaren 2025 F1 driver line-up

Lando Norris Contract to 2026	Oscar Piastri Contract to 2026

• Norris signed new contract ahead of 2024, keeping him with McLaren until ’26
• Piastri’s 2023 performance earned him contract extension

McLaren has not been part of the scramble for 2025 seats with its youthful driver line-up already confirmed.

Ahead of the 2024 campaign, Lando Norris signed another long-term deal which will keep the Brit racing in papaya until at least 2026, with the option to extend beyond that date. That possibility is looking more likely, with Norris now having an outside chance of winning the drivers’ championship in 2024.

However, the burning question is whether Norris or Oscar Piastri will finish on top in 2025. McLaren signed Piastri to a long-term deal after the Aussie’s performance in 2023 triggered an extension midway through his rookie campaign. Although still lacking the consistent results produced by his team-mate, Piastri was undoubtably the best rookie driver on the 2023 grid as he secured podium finishes in Japan and Qatar as well as a sprint race win.

He’s now won two races in 2024 and appears entirely unfazed by his team-mate. While Piastri has committed to helping Norris win the title this year, there’s little down that the two will be battling for superiority in 2025.

Aston Martin 2025 F1 driver line-up 

Lance Stroll Rolling contract	Fernando Alonso Multi-year contract beyond 2025

• Lance Stroll secures another extension beyond 2025
• Alonso has signed a multi-year deal that will take him into at least 2026

Aston Martin found a consistent place among F1’s elite in 2023, but has slipped back  this season, as it focuses on challenging for the title in 2026, when a star-studded line-up of engineers, led by Adrian Newey will look to seize the initiative as new regulations are introduced.

Fernando Alonso is contracted to the team until at least the end of the season, and Lance Stroll is all but certain to be alongside him.

Last year, Alonso scored almost three-quarters of the team’s total points in 2023 — courtesy of eight podium visits and ten further point scoring finishes.

This season has been less assured but Alonso has recommitted, signing a multi-year deal early in the year that will take him to 2026 and potentially beyond.

It was a quick decision from the the two-time world champion, who may have been under pressure to sign or risk losing the seat, given the quality of drivers yet to confirm a seat for 2025. At the team’s 2024 car launch, Alonso indicated that he was unsure of his future: “First I have to decide if I want to keep racing. Then I’ll talk to Aston. But if those things don’t succeed, I’ll look at what is available.”

On the other side of the garage, Lance Stroll’s performance last year did little to help Aston towards a top four finish in the constructors’ standings with an average finishing position of 12th and not a single podium position scored. But his position with the team is set to go unchallenged for the foreseeable future, as he has signed another multi-year extension — perhaps after negotiating with his father Lawrence, who remains in control of the outfit as its executive chairman and owner — which will keep him with the Silverstone outfit for 2025 and beyond.

Meanwhile former F2 champion and budding talent Felipe Drugovich is languishing on the sidelines in a reserve driver role.

Alpine 2025 F1 driver line-up

Pierre Gasly Multi-year contract beyond 2025	Jack Doohan 2025

• Gasly extends his current contract
• Doohan promoted from reserve driver role to replace Ocon from 2025

Alpine underwent major upheaval in 2023 with the majority of its high-end staff — including team principal Otmar Szafnauer, sporting director Alan Permane, chief technical officer Pat Fry and director of racing expansion projects Davide Brivio — cast aside or replaced. Its current driver line-up were thought to be next out of the door, and while Esteban Ocon has agreed to mutually part ways with the team, the extension of Pierre Gasly’s contract could bring some much needed stability to the Enstone outfit.

2023 was a difficult season for the French pairing. Despite podium visits in Monaco and Zandvoort, neither driver was able to find any consistency from the troublesome A523. This ultimately led to a disappointing sixth place finish in the constructors’ standings. The start of 2024 has promised little better, and then came the Monaco Grand Prix where both collided after Ocon aggressively tried to overtake Gasly.

A week later came the announcement that Ocon will not be driving for Alpine next season, and he has subsequently signed for Haas. Alpine was quick to secure at least half of their current line-up amid rumours that Gasly was eyeing up a move elsewhere. Has the controversial return of Flavio Briatore convinced the one-time race winner that better performance is on the horizon?

After missing out on Carlos Sainz, the promotion of Alpine junior Jack Doohan – who previously served as the team’s reserve driver – could potentially indicate that Enstone is finally invested in its future rather than short-term results. The Aussie had an impressive junior career, which included a second-place finish in the 2021 FIA Formula 3 Championship as well as three key race victories during his third season in F2 last year. He has also completed several tests over the course of 2024, which seemingly caught the eye of new Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes.

“Personally, I have worked with Jack back in 2019 and I am fully aware of his raw talent and potential,” he said. “He is a very hard worker behind the scenes and his commitment is hugely valued by the entire team.”

Williams 2025 F1 driver line-up 

Alex Albon Multi-year contract beyond 2025	Carlos Sainz Multi-year contract beyond 2025

• Alex Albon extends Williams contract with multi-year deal
• Carlos Sainz will join Williams in 2025 on multi-year deal

Williams showed the first signs of a resurgence in 2023, in no small part thanks to the efforts of Alex Albon. He scored all but one of the team’s 27 points which led to its best finish in the constructors’ standings since 2017.

Now it looks as if he will be with the team for the long-term after signing a “multi-year” deal. His contract had been due to run to the end of 2025, but Albon had been linked to an early move — with Red Bull apparently considering offering a contract for 2026 — or buying him out of his current deal to secure his talents for 2025.

“I’m fully committed to the team until my contract pretty much ends,” Albon told Sports Illustrated. “But I am also 27. Although I’m not young, I’m also not old. And I do feel like I am in a good part of my career. If you take another year I’m 28, then 29 going onto 30 soon. I want to give myself the chance to be able to fight for wins and fight for podiums. And what it comes down to is, at that time and in that time, can we bring this team to be that team?”

That potential also looks to have enticed Carlos Sainz to sign for the team. He will join from Ferrari in 2025. The Spaniard had long been tipped for a Williams seat after team principal James Vowles publicly stated that he was pursuing the two-time race winner for a seat next year.

“I am 100% committed and confident that Williams is the right place for me to spend my next few years,” said Sainz. “I really believe in the project, I really believe in the progress that has been done and from January 1, 2025, I will be pushing flat out to try and bring this team back where it belongs.”

There’s a sense that things may fall into place for Williams in 2026, with Vowles carrying out a whole-team reorganisation, and its Mercedes engines expected to be mighty when new regulations come into force that year.

“I think it’s a huge, huge event for Williams to have two of the best drivers in the world fighting at the front. And I think it is very much a sign of things to come.

“I rate [Carlos] as one of the top four drivers, if not at times the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable? Because my view of things is that fundamentally competitors are getting closer and closer. So, the marginal difference that a driver can make, and I don’t just mean in performance terms.

“Look at Carlos, look at every team he has been in. They have improved significantly. And I get why. After spending the last nine months talking to him.”

It means that Franco Colapinto — who replaced Logan Sargeant mid-season — will not be able to continue in the seat, where he has made an impressive start to his Formula 1 career.

RB 2025 F1 driver line-up

Yuki Tsunoda Contract to 2025	TBC

• Ricciardo dropped for remainder of 2024
• Liam Lawson in line for 2025 seat — unless he’s promoted to Red Bull
• Tsunoda signs one-year extension

RB opted to drop Daniel Ricciardo mid-season after a series of disappointing results, replacing him with Liam Lawson from the United States Grand Prix onwards. If nothing else changes, Lawson the leading candidate to partner Yuki Tsunoda next year too.

Having impressed while substituting for Ricciardo in 2023, Lawson picked up where he left off with a strong drive in Austin and then a combative performance in Mexico where he battled Sergio Perez impressively — until the cars made contact, affecting both drivers’ races.

That incident doesn’t appear to have affected Lawson’s standing — so much so that he could very well be racing for Red Bull before the end of the year.

With Sergio Perez’s form slumping even further, Red Bull won’t even confirm that he’ll be racing for the team for the remainder of the season. Given Lawson already appears more assured than Tsunoda, he could be next in line to partner Verstappen.

Should that happen, Red Bull is already sounding out Williams about the availability of Franco Colapinto, and also has its junior drivers, Ayumu Iwasa and Isack Hadjar who look strong in feeder categories, as does outsider Malthe Jakobsen, who was stunningly fast in a Peugeot Hypercar test last year.

Yuki Tsunoda appears secure having signed a one-year extension to his current deal.

It’s hardly a resounding declaration of commitment, though, given that most teams have been looking to secure longer-term driver deals to maintain stability into 2026 when power unit and chassis regulations change.

Haas

Oliver Bearman Multi-year contract beyond 2025	Esteban Ocon Multi-year contract beyond 2025

• Oliver Bearman replaces Hülkenberg, who will join Sauber in 2025
• Esteban Ocon joins on “multi-year” deal from 2025

Haas took a new approach toward its driver line-up in 2023 — replacing the youth of Mick Schumacher with the experience of Nico Hülkenberg to partner Kevin Magnussen. With over 60 years of racing experience between them, it was suggested that both drivers would be able to get the struggling American marque back on track without costing the team millions in repair fees.

Ultimately it was far from a perfect season as the team finished at the bottom of the constructors’ standings for the second time in the last three seasons, but intermittent flashes of pace at least convinced team boss Guenther Steiner to extend both his drivers’ contracts to the end of 2024.

That stability is at an end. Steiner has already been pushed out of the team, while Hülkenberg will leave for Sauber at the end of the year. He will be replaced by Ferrari junior hotshot Ollie Bearman, who impressed thoroughly during his rookie F2 campaign in 2023 and delighted further throughout his F1 debut in Jeddah, where he replaced Carlos Sainz on short notice.

Ocon’s recruitment alongside Bearman now shows a balance between youth and experience for the American outfit. The Frenchman has made a name for himself as a fierce competitor, unafraid to go toe-to-toe with rivals – occasionally coming to on-track blows.

He also has results to back up the reputation: Ocon emerged victorious from a chaotic 2021 Hungarian GP for his single race victory, and has two additional podiums to his name.

Despite being teamed at Enstone with illustrious team-mates such as Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo, he is the last person since Kimi Räikkönen in 2013 to win a race for the squad.

Sauber 2024 F1 driver line-up

Nico Hülkenberg Multi-year contract beyond 2025	Gabriel Bortoleto Multi-year contract beyond 2025

• Hülkenberg confirmed as Sauber looks to Audi partnership in 2026
• Bortoleto has signed a  multi-year deal
• Bottas and Zhou will not drive for the team in 2025

Sauber is in the process of being taken over by Audi and has been preparing for the transition for some time. Now its long-term driver line-up has emerged with Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto signing a multi-year contract alongside Nico Hülkenberg.

It leaves Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas without an F1 seat for 2025.

The line-up blends the talent and potential of 20-year-old Bortoleto with the pace and experience of 37-year-old Hülkenberg who has delivered strong drives in this year’s Haas. He’ll race for Sauber in 2025 and 2026, when it becomes the Audi factory team, and potentially beyond owing to his “multi-year” contract.

“With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team – and of Audi’s F1 project,” said then-CEO Andreas Seidl, who formerly worked with Hülkenberg as team boss of Porsche when the team won Le Mans 2015. “Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in building something long-term together. Nico is a strong personality, and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.”

Hülkenberg’s team-mate has been chosen by a new boss — former Ferrari team principal Matteo Binotto who replaced Seidl, amid concerns about Sauber’s progress. The team reportedly offered a contract to Carlos Sainz, who previously worked with Binotto, but looks to have opted for McLaren development driver Gabriel Bortoleto.

Off the back of a title-winning F3 campaign in 2023, his form has continued in his promotion to F2. After a flurry of podium finishes as well as a feature race win in Austria, he is currently in a battle for the championship with Isack Hadjar.