All 14 F1 drivers out of contract in 2026 as three top stars could leave teams | F1 | Sport
The 2026 season promises to be one of change with two new teams joining the grid in Audi and Cadillac, and new technical regulations shaking up the on-track action. With 14 drivers out of contract at the end of the year, the driver market is expected to be equally dramatic in the coming 12 months.
Express Sport guides you through the drivers who could change teams in 2027.
The frontrunners
While Max Verstappen’s future will dictate the driver market at the front of the grid, the Dutchman is not out of contract in 2026. Instead, the most eye-catching names on the list are at Mercedes, where George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are both tied down for the next 12 months.
However, Russell is believed to have contract clauses that will extend his stay at Brackley if he beats his team-mate in 2026. Elsewhere at the top, Isack Hadjar’s deal with Red Bull expires at the end of the year, although both McLaren and Ferrari stars remain tied down.
Midfield chaos
The bulk of the driver market movement is likely to take place in the midfield, where nine drivers are out of contract at the end of the year. Included among them is Franco Colapinto, who will be under pressure to improve after a brutal 2025 campaign.
Haas duo Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman are both entering the final years of their contracts, while Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are also on deals that run until the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.
At Williams, James Vowles will be looking to negotiate new terms with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, who helped fire the Grove-based team to an impressive fifth-place Constructors’ Championship finish in 2026.
Perhaps the most interesting team, though, is Aston Martin, with both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll entering contract years. Lawrence Stroll’s well-backed project has been geared around the new technical regulations, and the Silverstone-based squad have aspirations of a title challenge in the coming years. Four-time champion Verstappen has even been linked with a switch to Adrian Newey’s organisation.
New teams, new drivers?
Audi have carried over Sauber’s driver line-up from 2025, but both Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg’s terms end at the conclusion of the season. The Brazilian is likely to be in high demand elsewhere if he continues his impressive development trajectory.
Cadillac announced multi-year deals for Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, but with Colton Herta chasing an F1 seat in 2027, neither star will be able to rest on their laurels in the American squad’s debut season.
