14 F1 drivers will see their contracts expire in 2024

Six drivers already know their future in F1 beyond 2024. Max Verstappen is tied to Red Bull until 2028. The two Mercedes drivers recently extended their contracts until 2025. Lance Stroll is almost certain to stay with Aston Martin, thanks to his father’s support but also because his contract has no official end date from the team. Norris and Piastri are under contract with McLaren, until 2025 and 2026 respectively.

In 2025, with 20 available seats, there will therefore be 14 vacant seats without contracts and many more potential drivers.

Some drivers could leave Formula 1 in 2025.

After a difficult first season, Logan Sargeant was the last driver to renew his contract with his team, but his seat was threatened multiple times due to his mistakes on the track and underperformance. He only scored one point during the season. While his boss James Volwes seems to trust him, the American will absolutely have to improve or else risk losing his seat in Formula 1 permanently. However, he does have a chance given the development of Formula 1 in his home country if he manages to get closer to the performances of his teammate, Alexander Albon.

Sergio Perez is in the same situation. The Mexican had an extremely difficult season at Red Bull, while Verstappen dominated the championship. His seat was constantly in question. Rumors claimed that if he didn’t finish second in the championship, he would be replaced by Ricciardo. If Perez repeats the same mistakes as in 2023, it is very likely that he will be let go by Red Bull. And at almost 34 years old, the Mexican could also leave Formula 1 without a return ticket.

The arrival of Audi in 2026 raises doubts about the future of Stake / Sauber drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou. Both drivers have had a lackluster season. Although they were not helped by an underperforming car, they never showed anything on the track, even sometimes letting themselves be overtaken too easily. As the Finnish driver is about to turn 35, retirement is a possibility. As for the Chinese driver’s seat, we will have to wait for the impact of the Chinese Grand Prix to see if Stake Sauber has any interest in keeping Zhou instead of placing a future Audi driver.

Just like with Stake Sauber, Haas will also have both of its drivers without a contract for 2025. Both of them are among the veterans in F1 and potentially could retire by 2025. Kevin Magnussen did not have as good of a season as he did in 2022. The Danish driver was not helped by a disastrous Haas car, but he had many accidents and was beaten by his teammate Nico Hülkenberg, who had not completed a full season since 2019. Even though Günther Steiner wishes to have experienced drivers, he may part ways with Magnussen if the Danish driver’s poor performances continue to multiply.

Some status quo for others

Fernando Alonso has a year as an option in his contract with Aston Martin that he can activate if he wishes. The Spaniard has made eight podium finishes with his new team in 2023, despite two rough patches for the two-time world champion and his team. The Asturian bull will celebrate his 43rd birthday in the summer of 2024, and if Aston Martin remains competitive, Alonso could still be present on the grid in 2025.

Charles Leclerc could be locked in by Ferrari until 2029 according to information from La Gazetta dello Sport. The Monegasque driver has been nurtured by the Ferrari Driver Academy and has consistently stated that he wants to become world champion with Ferrari. The arrival of Frédéric at the helm of the team and the initial positive results are reasons for hope for an extension of Leclerc’s contract with Ferrari.

Yuki Tsunoda is in a dilemma. The Japanese driver is not a bad driver and the support of Honda allows him to stay with AlphaTauri. However, he has not shown a sufficiently high level to attract the top teams. There is a chance that Tsunoda will extend once again with AlphaTauri if he has a good season in 2024.

Alpine and its drivers are at a crossroads. The team has undergone a massive internal revolution. Laurent Rossi, Otmar Szafnauer, Pat Fry, and Alan Permane have been dismissed from the team in the middle of the season, while Bruno Famin has become the new executive director of the team. Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon could stay if the Alpine project finally takes off. Otherwise, their status as Grand Prix winners could interest other teams if a seat were to become available.

Haas could well be Nico Hülkenberg’s last team in his career. The German has outperformed his teammate this season. His boss is satisfied with his performance. However, the number 27 driver has publicly stated that he would like to join the Audi project if the opportunity presents itself. However, Hülkenberg will be close to 39 years old when Audi joins the grid, and there is no guarantee that the German manufacturer will want a driver of his age who doesn’t have the track record of a Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso.

Others could join an ambitious project.

Returning to F1 with AlphaTauri to replace a disappointing Nyck de Vries, Daniel Ricciardo does not intend to spend his entire career at Faenza’s team. The Australian has been performing well since his return and aims to have a successful 2024 season with the objective of securing Sergio Perez’s seat if the Mexican were to leave the team. Ricciardo will be 35 years old during the 2024 season, making it likely his last opportunity to join a team capable of contending for the title.

Alexander Albon has been the leader of Williams for two seasons. The Thai driver defeated Nicholas Latifi in 2022, before outperforming his teammate this year, in a car with limited performance. It is evident that James Volwes and Williams will want to keep the former Red Bull driver to continue the team’s reconstruction. However, Albon has a strong market value and could be tempted to join Ferrari, Aston Martin, or Sauber if a seat becomes available.

Carlos Sainz wants to continue his collaboration with Ferrari beyond 2024. However, the team seems to be taking its time deciding whether or not to extend the contracts of its drivers, according to statements by Frédéric Vasseur on Canal+. If Sainz were to leave the red team, the doors to Sauber, which will become Audi, appear to be open for him.

The opportunities for rookies.

Liam Lawson successfully completed his five-race stand-in as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo. However, the New Zealander will have to settle for a third driver role with Red Bull/AlphaTauri. But in the event of Tsunoda or Ricciardo’s departure, Lawson is high on the list to join the Austrian giant’s B team. In his second season in F2, Isack Hadjar, nicknamed the “little Prost” by Helmut Marko, could get closer to F1 if he has a successful season in the F2 feeder series.

After three seasons in F2 and winning the title in 2023, Théo Pourchaire was very close to securing a race seat with Sauber, as he is part of their academy. However, Zhou Guanyu was extended and the Frenchman will be competing in the Super Formula before hoping for a possible spot with Stake F1 Team in 2025.

If there are departures at Alpine, Jack Doohan and Victor Martins could have their chances. The Australian is currently a reserve driver for the French team after finishing third in F2 last year. Martins continues his progression after winning the FIA F3 title in 2021, as he finished fifth in the F2 championship in his first season in the category.