So, here is how the F1 grid currently looks for next season.<\/p>\n
F1 2026 driver line-up<\/p>\n
Alpine 2026 F1 drivers
\n ![\"Pierre](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pierre-gasly-alpine-franco-col.jpg\")
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Franco Colapinto, Alpine<\/p>\n
Photo by: James Sutton \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Pierre Gasly: Contracted until the end of 2028
\nFranco Colapinto: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n
Alpine is well on course for its worst-ever finish in an F1 season, as it is bottom of the constructors\u2019 standings after many comings-and-goings at the team. It started the year with Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan<\/a>, but the 22-year-old was dropped just six rounds in having not scored a point and suffered avoidable crashes in Japan and Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n Doohan was therefore replaced by reserve driver Colapinto, who had joined Alpine following his nine-round stint with Williams at the end of 2024. The 22-year-old Argentine hasn\u2019t fared much better than Doohan though, as he is also without a point but still signed for next season with the French outfit believing in his potential.<\/p>\n When Colapinto\u2019s renewal was announced, Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore acknowledged that the team environment hasn\u2019t exactly allowed his young driver to flourish. There\u2019s been various changes in management, while the car hasn\u2019t been upgraded since June with previous updates also not working as intended.<\/p>\n Despite all of that, veteran Gasly believes in Alpine\u2019s potential and that was shown in September when the grand prix winner signed a new contract that takes him until the end of 2028<\/a>, after joining the squad at the start of 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n Aston Martin 2026 F1 drivers Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing<\/p>\n Photo by: Simon Galloway \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Fernando Alonso: Contracted until the end of 2026 Aston Martin is set to start its fourth consecutive season with the same driver pairing, as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are both signed for the 2026 campaign. Alonso, who joined in 2023, is contracted until the end of next season and what he does beyond is currently a hot topic given the Spaniard is 44-years-old and no longer in his prime.\u00a0<\/p>\n Retirement is potentially on the cards, but a lot of that depends on how competitive Aston Martin is in 2026 and there is belief that it will be given the signing of legendary designer Adrian Newey, plus Honda joining as its engine supplier.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n A good season is very much needed because Aston Martin has been firmly planted in the midfield the past couple years, failing to kick on from its strong start to 2023 when Alonso scored six podiums in the opening eight grands prix.<\/p>\n Stroll, who joined the squad in 2019 when it was known as Racing Point, is still looking for his first podium since 2020 but his future is more secure than that of his team-mate. Given his father Lawrence owns the squad, Lance effectively has a contract for as long as he wants.\u00a0<\/p>\n Audi 2026 F1 drivers Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber<\/p>\n Photo by: Andy Hone\/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Nico Hulkenberg: Contracted until the end of 2026 Audi will complete its full takeover of Sauber when it makes its F1 debut next year. It will do so with the same driver pairing currently at the Swiss outfit, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto set to start their second season as team-mates after both joined in 2025.<\/p>\n They have been key to the vast improvements seen at Sauber this year, after it only scored four points in the 2024 campaign. Hulkenberg, for example, finally claimed an F1 podium by taking third at the British Grand Prix and is on course for his highest points tally since the 2018 season with Renault.<\/p>\n Bortoleto, meanwhile, has impressed during his rookie campaign and although he only has about half his team-mate\u2019s points tally, the 21-year-old has a better qualifying record. Both are contracted until the end of 2026 and right now there\u2019s no reason for Sauber\/Audi to want to change it heading into 2027.<\/p>\n Cadillac 2026 F1 drivers Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Cadillac<\/p>\n Photo by: Cadillac Communications<\/p>\n Sergio Perez: Contracted until the end of 2027 Cadillac has chosen an experienced pairing for its debut season, as F1 veterans Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will race for the American outfit<\/a>. It is understood that they are both signed to two-year contracts, with an option for a third, performance related.<\/p>\n Both Perez and Bottas certainly have points to prove. Perez was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2024, following a poor run of form that saw him finish eighth in the championship while team-mate Max Verstappen won his fourth title. Bottas, meanwhile, didn\u2019t have his contract renewed by Sauber having not scored a point last season.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n That didn\u2019t worry Cadillac though, as CEO Dan Towriss revealed that the pair\u2019s experience, a combined 527 grand prix starts and 16 wins, is a big plus for a start-up squad<\/a>. It was then announced shortly afterwards that former IndyCar star Colton Herta will support the pair as a reserve<\/a>, with Simon Pagenaud, Pietro Fittipaldi and Charlie Eastwood all signed as simulator drivers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ferrari 2026 F1 drivers Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari<\/p>\n Photo by: Bryn Lennon \/ Formula 1 via Getty Images<\/p>\n Charles Leclerc: Multi-year contract The 2025 F1 season has not been the campaign Ferrari hoped for, having failed to kick on from its runner-up finish to McLaren last year. Ferrari is yet to win a grand prix, has only scored seven Sunday podiums with the only highlight being Lewis Hamilton\u2019s sprint win in Shanghai.<\/p>\n China-aside, it has also been a disappointing debut season at Ferrari for Hamilton, as the seven-time world champion is sixth in the championship and has been regularly beaten by team-mate Charles Leclerc.<\/p>\n Hamilton is still signed for next year though, as he has often stressed that it takes time to adapt to a new team because the SF-25 hasn\u2019t exactly been built to his liking. He therefore hopes to put his \u201cDNA\u201d on next year\u2019s car<\/a> when the new regulations kick in and he will once again do it alongside Leclerc.<\/p>\n Leclerc has raced for Ferrari since 2019 and he is signed on a multi-year basis, with the 28-year-old recently confirming that he is only interested in winning his maiden world title at the Scuderia<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Haas 2026 F1 drivers Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team<\/p>\n Photo by: James Sutton \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Esteban Ocon: Contracted until the end of 2026 Haas, like Sauber, started the 2025 season with an all-new pairing that consisted of one veteran and one rookie. The 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix winner Esteban Ocon joined from Alpine, while Oliver Bearman graduated from F2 for his first, full season at the top.\u00a0<\/p>\n Both have impressed as well because Haas has outscored its points tally of 58 from last year, even if it might finish in a lower position due to the increased competition.<\/p>\n The obvious highlight is Mexico, where Bearman finished fourth and was running in a podium position for much of the contest, while Ocon has also delivered, having scored fifth in China. They will be Haas team-mates again next year, but what happens beyond 2026 is still unknown.\u00a0<\/p>\n McLaren 2026 F1 drivers Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren<\/p>\n Photo by: Andy Hone\/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Lando Norris: Multi-year contract Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both on long-term contracts at McLaren, which has enjoyed a significant upturn in the last few years. When Piastri joined as a rookie in 2023, the team had just finished fifth in the 2022 championship and started the following season poorly with no points in the opening two rounds.<\/p>\n But mid-season updates changed McLaren\u2019s fortunes, eventually leading to it ending its 26-year constructors\u2019 championship drought by claiming the 2024 title. The Woking squad is also in good position to end its 17-year drivers\u2019 championship drought with Norris and Piastri currently top two in the 2025 standings.\u00a0<\/p>\n They have both been key to McLaren\u2019s transformation and with them still young, Norris is 25 and Piastri is 24, it is understandable that they\u2019re signed to long-term deals as they each chase their maiden title.<\/p>\n Norris signed his most recent renewal in January 2024, when it was announced as a \u2018multi-year deal\u2019 that is likely to run until the end of 2027. Piastri, meanwhile, put pen to paper in March 2025 with his \u2018multi-year\u2019 contract expected to expire in 2028.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mercedes 2026 F1 drivers George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes<\/p>\n Photo by: James Sutton \/ Motorsport Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n George Russell: Multi-year contract Mercedes dominated the 2026 F1 driver market after George Russell revealed in early summer that the Silver Arrows had been speaking to Verstappen\u2019s camp regarding his future plans<\/a>. There was thus debate over whether the four-time world champion would make the jump from Red Bull, and whether he would replace Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes.<\/p>\n Although Verstappen\u2019s contract runs until the end of 2028, it is understood that there were various exit clauses that had triggers around the 2025 summer break with one relating to his championship position. For example, if he wasn\u2019t in the top three by that point then he could be freed up, but fourth in Spa ended that possibility.<\/p>\n So once that happened, Verstappen finally committed to Red Bull for 2026<\/a> which made it clear that Russell and Antonelli would remain with the German manufacturer. That was confirmed in October, with Russell signed to a multi-year deal while Antonelli\u2019s future beyond 2026 is still unknown.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n The 19-year-old has endured a very inconsistent rookie campaign, as his sprint pole in Miami and Canada podium has been mired by several offs. Antonelli\u2019s potential is still clear to see, while Russell has been near faultless this year as he is fourth in the standings with victories in Montreal and Singapore.<\/p>\n Racing Bulls 2026 F1 drivers Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team<\/p>\n Photo by: James Sutton \/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Racing Bulls is one of two teams yet to confirm their driver line-ups for the 2026 F1 campaign, with sister outfit Red Bull being the other. Helmut Marko previously said that the organisation was aiming to confirm both pairings by the end of October, but Verstappen\u2019s unexpected late title challenge caused Red Bull to delay it until December.<\/p>\n It is still expected that Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar<\/a> will be promoted into a Red Bull seat, after an impressive rookie season that has included a podium at Zandvoort leaving him in the top 10 of the championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hadjar has often beaten team-mate Liam Lawson<\/a>, who started the year with Red Bull but was dropped after just two race weekends. Although it\u2019s not yet confirmed, the New Zealander is expected to stay with Racing Bulls next year and partner current F2 racer Arvid Lindblad, who has been a Red Bull junior since 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n Red Bull 2026 F1 drivers Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team<\/p>\n Photo by: Andy Hone\/ LAT Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n Max Verstappen: Contracted until the end of 2028 Verstappen is set for his 11th season at Red Bull after making his race-winning debut at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. The 28-year-old has enjoyed an incredibly successful run during that time, with four world titles, 68 grand prix victories and numerous record breakings.\u00a0<\/p>\n Following his maiden championship in 2021, Verstappen signed his current deal which takes him until the end of 2028 with it clear that everything at Red Bull is built around him. That has had a knock-on effect regarding his team-mates though, with Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Perez, Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda<\/a> all having struggled since Daniel Ricciardo<\/a>\u2019s shock departure at the end of 2018.<\/p>\n Tsunoda was signed as Lawson\u2019s replacement for round three of 2025 after four years at the sister team, but has faced similar struggles with the difficult-to-drive RB21. The 25-year-old is 17th in the championship – Verstappen is third – with just 28 points and his future is under severe doubt. As Hadjar and Lindblad are both expected to receive promotions, with Lawson likely to stay where he is, it appears as though the writing is on the wall for Tsunoda\u2019s F1 career.<\/p>\n Williams 2026 F1 drivers Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams<\/p>\n Photo by: Peter Fox \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Alex Albon: Contracted until the end of 2026 Everything is more stable at Williams, however, which is set to continue with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz into 2026. Albon joined at the start of 2022 with a broken reputation following his Red Bull struggles and an F1 sabbatical in 2021, but the Thai-Briton has since established himself as a very solid F1 driver leading Williams to the front of the midfield.<\/p>\n The 2025 season has arguably been his best yet, as he is eighth in the championship with consistent point scores and is ahead of new-for-2025 team-mate Sainz. Sainz, who has won four grands prix, joined after Ferrari replaced him with Hamilton and has had an up-and-down year, perhaps not delivering on what was initially expected.<\/p>\n Although he\u2019s not been quite as consistent as Albon, Sainz does have a podium to boast having finished third in Baku and should improve next year when he has a car that was built with his input. Both drivers are contracted until the end of 2026.<\/p>\n Read Also:<\/p>\n We want to hear from you!<\/p>\n Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Lance](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762538954_393_lance-stroll-aston-martin-raci.jpg\")
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\nLance Stroll: Rolling contract<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Gabriel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762538955_601_gabriel-bortoleto-sauber.jpg\")
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\nGabriel Bortoleto: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Valtteri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/valtteri-bottas-sergio-perez-c.jpg\")
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\nValtteri Bottas: Contracted until the end of 2027<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Charles](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762538957_683_charles-leclerc-ferrari-lewis-.jpg\")
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\nLewis Hamilton: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Esteban](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/esteban-ocon-haas-f1-team-oliv.jpg\")
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\nOliver Bearman: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Lando](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/lando-norris-mclaren-oscar-pia.jpg\")
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\nOscar Piastri: Multi-year contract<\/p>\n
\n ![\"George](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1762538961_717_george-russell-mercedes-andrea.jpg\")
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\nAndrea Kimi Antonelli: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Liam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/liam-lawson-racing-bulls-team-.jpg\")
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\n ![\"Yuki](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/yuki-tsunoda-red-bull-racing-t.jpg\")
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\nTBC<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Carlos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/carlos-sainz-williams-alexande.jpg\")
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\nCarlos Sainz: Contracted until the end of 2026<\/p>\n