The F1 grid will move to a total of 22 drivers from the start of the 2026 season as the sport sees the entry of an 11th team in the form of Cadillac. All these 22 are supposed to be the best drivers in the world, or at least earn enough money for it to be justified to call them that. Driver contracts are always in the news, as they define how long one particular driver will be with the team he is currently with.
In F1, contracts are generally respected, with drivers more often completing the full length of their agreements compared to other sports such as soccer. However, that does not mean drivers are unable to walk away from their contracts before they expire. It simply highlights that the length of an F1 driver’s contract tends to carry more weight.
So, let’s take a look at the contract expiration dates of all the drivers on the 2026 F1 grid, based on the information that is currently available in the public domain.
All 2026 F1 Drivers and Their Contract Expiration Dates
McLaren
Lando Norris: 2027
Starting with the world champion, it is known that Lando Norris has a “multi-year contract” at McLaren, which he first signed in 2024. This is believed to be at least until the end of the 2026 season, with even possibilities that it runs until 2027.
Oscar Piastri: 2028
Oscar Piastri’s current contract at McLaren is reported to run until the end of the 2028 season. The Aussie signed this new deal only last year in 2025.
Mercedes
George Russell: 2026
After long discussions throughout the 2025 season, George Russell finally signed a contract extension to stay at Mercedes, with his current contract only valid until the end of 2026. It has been widely reported that Silver Arrows also hold the option to extend this contract a further year until 2027.
Kimi Antonelli: 2026
Youngster Kimi Antonelli is in the exact same boat as his teammate George Russell, with him also having signed a 1+1 contract extension last year. He will also remain at the team until the end of 2026, with the team holding the power to extend his contract for another year if they wish to.
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen: 2028
It has been well established that 4x F1 world champion Max Verstappen has a valid contract at Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season. The Dutchman has also claimed that he wishes to fulfill this contract as things stand, and that he could even retire from the Austrian team. But numerous reports suggest Verstappen has several exit clauses in his contract that would allow him to walk away as well, based on team performance.
Isack Hadjar: 2026
The only driver who has changed teams from last year, Isack Hadjar, has signed a short-term contract at Red Bull until the end of the coming season (2026). Red Bull is also notorious for moving their drivers around mid-season, so realistically, Hadjar’s contract could well be described as a race-by-race deal based on his performances.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc: 2026
In 2024, Charles Leclerc signed an unspecified “multi-year” contract to stay at Ferrari, which means his current contract runs at least till the end of the 2026 season. It is not known what other clauses are included within the Monegasque’s deal following this period.
Lewis Hamilton: 2027
Lewis Hamilton also signed a similar “multi-year” deal at Ferrari when he first joined in 2025. Numerous reports have suggested that this contract runs for three years, meaning it will end at the end of the 2027 season.
Williams
Alex Albon: 2026
Alex Albon also signed a multi-year deal with Williams in 2024, right after the arrival of team boss James Vowles. This is also said to last until at least 2026, with clauses to potentially extend further.
Carlos Sainz: 2026
Carlos Sainz signed a multi-year deal at Williams in 2025, which was largely reported to be a two-year contract.
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson: 2026
As is usual, Racing Bulls has extended Liam Lawson’s contract only for another season after his decent performances for the team in 2025. His deal will expire at the end of the 2026 season.
Arvid Lindblad: 2026
The only rookie on the 2026 grid, Arvid Lindblad, has received his opportunity to drive in F1 with the Red Bull junior team, Racing Bulls. He also has a short-term deal until the end of the 2026 season for now.
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso: 2026
44-year-old Fernando Alonso is now entering the final year of his deal with Aston Martin, which ends at the end of 2026. It is not known if the veteran is looking to carry on driving beyond his current deal, or if the British team even wants to retain the services of the 2x F1 world champion.
Lance Stroll: 2026
Lance Stroll’s latest contract extension at Aston Martin was confirmed during the 2024 season, and his current deal is likely to run until at least the 2026 season. It is also likely that the Canadian will continue driving beyond this, as he has featured in one of the seats at an F1 team owned by his father, Lawrence Stroll, ever since 2019.
Haas F1
Esteban Ocon: 2026
Esteban Ocon moved from Alpine to Haas in 2025 on a multi-year deal as well, meaning his contract runs until at least the end of the 2026 season. The Frenchman’s future beyond this is unknown.
Ollie Bearman: 2026
Similar to his teammate, Ollie Bearman also signed a multi-year contract with Haas in 2025, securing his future until the end of the 2026 season. The Ferrari junior has a big reputation with many experts believing that the Briton could be in contention to go to the Italian team post Lewis Hamilton, if he continues improving at the same rate he is currently.
Audi
Nico Hulkenberg: 2026
Nico Hulkenberg moved to Audi in 2025 (then Sauber) with the aim of transitioning the Hinwil-based outfit into the German brand’s own works team amid the new regulations in 2026. His deal is believed to run until the end of the coming season.
Gabriel Bortoleto: 2026
The 2024 F2 champion, Gabriel Bortoleto, also joined the Audi project in 2025 for similar objectives, and his contract also runs until the end of the 2026 season.
Alpine
Pierre Gasly: 2028
In late 2025, Alpine F1 announced that Pierre Gasly extended his contract to stay at the French team. This multi-year deal is likely to keep the 30-year-old at Alpine until the end of the 2028 season.
Franco Colapinto: 2026
Franco Colapinto originally signed a race-by-race deal at Alpine in 2025, but secured a drive for 2026 towards the end of the season. His future beyond this season is unknown, with his current contract also potentially performance-based.
Cadillac
Sergio Perez: 2027
Sergio Perez has joined the newest team on the grid, Cadillac, for its F1 debut in 2026. It has been reported that the Mexican has agreed to a multi-year deal, keeping him at the team until at least 2027.
Valtteri Bottas: 2027
Similar to Checo, Valtteri Bottas also signed a two-year deal with Cadillac, helping the American team to get on its feet in F1. This would also keep him on the grid until 2027.
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