2025 F1 drivers: the new-look grid — rookies, team changes and contracts

The raft of new recruits has inevitably brought the chequered flag down on some careers — even if only temporarily. Sergio Perez was dropped from Red Bull after a litany of poor results. Kevin Magnussen has moved to sports cars, while — like Colapinto — Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have reserve roles, at Mercedes and Ferrari respectively.

Among the drivers still finding their feet at new teams are Carlos Sainz at Williams, Nico Hülkenberg, who moved to Sauber and Esteban Ocon at Haas. Aston Martin stuck with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, while Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon recommitted to their respective teams.

Here’s how the latest 2025 F1 driver line-up looks.

Confirmed 2025 F1 driver line-ups

Click on a team name for more detail

Red Bull 2025 F1 driver line-up 

Max Verstappen Contract to 2028	Yuki Tsunoda Contract to 2025

• Max Verstappen on a long-term deal with Red Bull, but also linked to other teams
• Yuki Tsunoda replaces struggling Lawson from the Japanese GP

The seat at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen has proved a poisoned chalice for the likes of Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Sergio Perez who have seen their promising careers derailed when compared directly to the now four-time world champion.

Now Liam Lawson is the latest victim following just two race weekends. After twice qualifying last and failing to score a single championship point in what looks to be a highly sensitive car, he has been moved back to Racing Bulls, swapping with Yuki Tsunoda who now faces the daunting position alongside Verstappen.

His task isn’t just to score points but to help develop the car into a more manageable machine.

Success will surely cement his position in the team but, in a season that’s tipped to be one of the closest ever, he’ll need faultless racecraft and strategic thinking to deliver the podium results and wins needed to reclaim the constructors’ championship.

The task proved beyond even a driver with the experience of Sergio Perez who crumbled last year. The gap in qualifying pace to his team-mate was the largest of all the F1 grid. Compounding his slow pace was a litany of errors, Perez reaching his nadir when he failed to spot the green light indicating the start of the race from the pitlane in Qatar.

Verstappen himself 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 last 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. As Verstappen moved closer to his fourth drivers’ world championship, his performance seemingly at a new level, those whispers dwindled, but the potential for a high-profile transfer in 2026 hasn’t entirely diminished.

Ferrari 2025 F1 driver line-up

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

• Hamilton joins from Mercedes, replacing Sainz in a bid for an eighth world championship
• Leclerc extended his contract with Ferrari in 2024, signing a new multi-year deal early in the year

Ferrari has a Lewis Hamilton-Charles Leclerc line-up in 2025, following 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 he committed to the switch, replacing Carlos Sainz who was out of contract at the end of 2024. Now aged 40 as he lines up on the grid ahead of his 19th F1 campaign in 2025, race wins last year suggested the Brit could still have what it takes to fight for the title.

It sets up the mouthwatering prospect of a fierce team-mate rivalry between F1’s most successful driver and one of its hottest talents in Leclerc, 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 2024, despite repeated frustrations at the team when it hasn’t capitalised on its potential.

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	Kimi Antonelli Contract to 2025

• George Russell only contracted to the end of this year — but has an option to extend
• 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli comes with high expectations as he replaces 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 the break clause in Hamilton’s deal was activated, and he’s now a Ferrari driver.

His replacement is Mercedes junior prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli who moved straight from Formula 4 to Formula 2 in 2024, already with enough superlicence points for F1.

Team boss Toto Wolff has said that the 18-year-old Italian represents the “future” and the only question was whether Mercedes would deem him ready as soon as 2025. Antonelli drove a 2024 car F1 car during a practice session at last year’s Italian Grand Prix and crashed on only his second flying lap. But the pace he showed convinced Wolff to sign him as Hamilton’s replacement.

“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 contract expires at the end of this year, but is understood to include options to extend. At this point, he appears most likely to remain with Mercedes, having taken two more wins in 2024 and showing pace to fight wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Norris, Leclerc and even Verstappen. The team also represents a decent bet for 2026 when new regulations and power units are introduced.

McLaren 2025 F1 driver line-up

Lando Norris Multi-year deal beyond 2025	Oscar Piastri Multi-year deal beyond 2026

• Norris signed new contract ahead of 2024, keeping him with McLaren until at least 2026
• Piastri’s performance last year earned him contract extension just ahead of 2025 season

McLaren wasn’t part of the scramble for 2025 seats with its 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. Oscar Piastri now has a similar deal, having signed an extension the week ahead of this year’s Australian Grand Prix.

It’s an arrangement that suits both parties. Norris and Piastri start the season in a car that’s thought to be the fastest on the grid and favourite to retain the constructors’ championship, while McLaren has two drivers who have proven fast and able to work with each other.

As last year’s McLaren became the class of the field, Norris and Piastri managed to claim their maiden grand prix wins, while some tough lessons — for Norris particularly — sharpened his racecraft in dog-eat-dog battles with Max Verstappen

The burning question is whether Norris or Oscar Piastri will finish on top in 2025. There was tension last year in the Hungarian Grand Prix when Norris was told to hand the race lead to Piastri, who had been in front before losing the place due to a pitstop call. Norris, ahead in the championship, was reluctant to move over but did so eventually.

Now, with starting from a clean slate in 2025, both drivers know that this year could be their best-ever chance of winning the championship and neither will want to miss the opportunity. Can McLaren manage the inevitable battle for superiority?

Aston Martin 2025 F1 driver line-up 

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

• Lance Stroll secure in team that is owned by his father
• Alonso has a multi-year deal that will take him into at least 2026

Aston Martin is firmly focused on success in 2026, with superstar designer Adrian Newey now at the team, alongside a number of other high-profile hires at a new headquarters attached to a new wind tunnel.

All the pieces are coming into place which could give Fernando Alonso a shot at a third world title in 2026. He has a contract in place, but may not be entirely confident given that the rest of the grid will also be eyeing Aston’s obvious potential.

There’s been talk of Max Verstappen moving to the team at the end of the season, and he may well look a better bet than Alonso who has struggled to show his form in a lacklustre car over the past season and a half.

Aston Martin found a consistent place among F1’s elite in 2023, but slipped back as its upgrades failed to have the intended effect. The team was relatively anonymous in 2024, and there’s so far little encouragement that 2025 will be any different, with sights still set on 2026.

We won’t know until the opening race, but it could be another season of grinning and bearing it for Alonso and Stroll, whose place at the team appears secure while it is owned by a consortium led by his father, Lawrence Stroll.

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

Alpine 2025 F1 driver line-up

Pierre Gasly Multi-year deal beyond 2025	Jack Doohan Contract to 2025

• Gasly starts his third season at Alpine, having extended his contract
• Doohan promoted from reserve driver role to replace Ocon, but faces pressure from reserve driver Franco Colapinto

Alpine underwent major upheaval in 2023 with the majority of its leadership group – including team principal Otmar Szafnauer, sporting director Alan Permane, chief technical officer Pat Fry and director of racing expansion projects Davide Brivio – replaced. Driver Esteban Ocon was also out of the door one race before the end of last season, influenced by team advisor Flavio Briatore who previously led it — in its days as Benetton and Renault — to world championship success.

Pierre Gasly remains with the team, however, bringing some stability to the outfit. After missing out on Carlos Sainz, the promotion of Alpine junior Jack Doohan – who previously served as the team’s reserve driver – seemingly indicated 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 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.”

How valued, though, is the question. Doohan already looks under threat from Franco Colapinto who proved a revelation at Williams when came in to replace the beleaguered Logan Sargeant for the latter part of the season. Now Alpine has signed the Argentinian up as a reserve driver and Briatore has been full of praise for him, describing Colapinto as “one of the best young, quick drivers for the future”.

With Colapinto thought to bring sizeable South American sponsorship too, just how long will Doohan stay in a race seat in 2025?

Williams 2025 F1 driver line-up 

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

• Alex Albon extended Williams contract last season with multi-year deal
• Carlos Sainz joins Williams on multi-year deal to replace Franco Colapinto

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.

“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 joins from Ferrari, having rejected Alpine.

“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 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,” said Vowles.

It means that Franco Colapinto – who replaced Logan Sargeant mid-season – could not continue in the seat where he had made an impressive start to his Formula 1 career. The Argentinian has now joined Alpine as a reserve driver.

Racing Bulls 2025 F1 driver line-up

Liam Lawson Contract to 2025	Isack Hadjar Contract to 2025

• 2024 F2 runner-up Isack Hadjar promoted to 2025 seat
• Liam Lawson returns to Racing Bulls after unsuccessful two-race stint at Red Bull

The Racing Bulls drama continues into 2025, as Liam Lawson returns to the team following just two race weekends at Red Bull. The experience was so miserable, that team boss Christian Horner said that the change was needed to “protect and develop Liam”. He has swapped with Yuki Tsunoda, who now takes up the seat alongside Max Verstappen.

The 2024 season alone had enough plot twists for a pitlane soap opera at RB, as the team was then known. It began when an underperforming Daniel Ricciardo was ejected from his seat after the Singapore GP. Highly-rated reserve Lawson was brought in to replace him in what looked like a trial for the team’s spare 2025 seat. But then Perez’s form went from bad to worse for Red Bull.

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. Since then, Lawson had mixed fortunes but Perez well and truly slumped, so 2025 sees Lawson replace Perez at Red Bull.

That brought Isack Hadjar into the mix. The 20-year-old, who finished second to Sauber-bound Gabriel Bortoleto in the 2024 F2 championship, joined the team for 2025. Aside from a high-profile error hat saw him crash out of the Australian Grand prix on the parade lap, he’s made a strong start.

Now he has to perform against Lawson who has a point to prove, with both drivers looking to secure a place on the grid for 2026.

Haas 2025 F1 driver line-up

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

• Oliver Bearman replaces Nico Hülkenberg with a multi-year deal
• Esteban Ocon joins Haas from Alpine

It’s out with the old at Haas — somewhat literally as Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen take their combined 20 seasons of F1 experience with them.

They have been replaced by Ferrari junior hotshot Ollie Bearman, who impressed thoroughly during his rookie F2 campaign in 2023 and delighted further throughout his F1 debut for Ferrari in Jeddah, where he replaced Carlos Sainz on short notice. He was also called on to replace Magnussen for two races last season.

Esteban 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.

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 three additional podiums to his name.

Sauber 2025 F1 driver line-up

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

• Nico Hülkenberg joins all-new line-up as Sauber looks to Audi partnership in 2026
• Bortoleto has signed a multi-year deal, leaving no space for Bottas or Zhou at Sauber, or on the grid at all

Sauber has been bought by Audi, which 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, although both have secured reserve roles, with Ferrari and Mercedes respectively.

The line-up blends the talent and potential of 20-year-old Bortoleto with the pace and experience of 37-year-old Hülkenberg who delivered strong drives in the 2024 Haas. He’ll race for Sauber this year and in 2026, when it becomes the Audi factory team, and potentially beyond owing to his “multi-year” contract.

Hülkenberg’s team-mate is former McLaren development driver Gabriel Bortoleto, who secured the 2024 Formula 2 title and is one of racing’s hottest prospects.