F1 DRIVER CONTRACTS: WHOSE FUTURE IS SECURE GOING INTO SILLY SEASON?
As the 2023 Formula 1 season enters its summer break, Sky Sports F1 have taken a closer look at how long the drivers are set to have a seat on the grid.... End of 2023
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes: Although the seven-time world champion's current deal expires at the end of the 2023 campaign, both driver and team have repeatedly expressed a desire to extend it, with team boss Toto Wolff recently saying an extension is "emotionally done". It is well known Hamilton would like to get that record-breaking eighth world championship and wants to stick around with Mercedes for a few years to come to make sure that dream is realised.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas: Magnussen burst back into Formula 1 after Haas terminated their contract with Nikita Mazepin just before the 2022 season and he made his return count. However, 2023 has been less smooth for the Dane, with Nico Hulkenberg outperforming him thus far. Magnussen says he thinks the team is "pretty happy" with him, but time will tell on that.
Stream the biggest sporting events with NOWListen to the Sky Sports F1 PodcastDaniel Ricciardo, AlphaTauri: After signing up to be Red Bull's third driver for 2023, Ricciardo made an earlier than expected return to the grid when he replaced Nyck de Vries for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Australian has made it very clear his ultimate goal is a return to parent team Red Bull, so it will be interesting to see what happens to him in 2024.
Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri: Tsunoda has been driving with AlphaTauri since 2021 and began his third season on the hunt for another contract extension. He would appear to be on course to earn a new deal after dominating De Vries during the first half of the season. Having Ricciardo as a measuring stick for the rest of the campaign should help Red Bull to assess him.
Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo: The Alfa Romeo driver has backed up a pretty consistent rookie season with a solid start to 2023. While the inconsistency of the car has made it difficult to score points, Zhou has kept team-mate Valtteri Bottas pretty honest and is only one point behind the Finn in the drivers' standings. With F1 set to return to China next season for the first time since 2019, he is surely in line for at least a one-year extension.
Logan Sargeant, Williams: Williams gave a chance to their young American driver for the 2023 season, but his future looks far from certain after a pointless first 12 races in F1. The fact that Williams have had a new team principal, James Vowles, put in place since Sargeant's signing, only adds to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
End of 2024Charles Leclerc, Ferrari: After a promising 2022, this was meant to be the year that Ferrari pushed on to challenge for titles, with Leclerc leading the way. Instead, a hugely disappointing first half of the campaign has left the Monegasque non-committal over his future with the team. Whether or not an extension has been agreed by the time the 2024 season starts will be telling.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull: The Mexican had been a near-perfect back-up for Max Verstappen, a couple of tiffs aside, for his first two seasons with the team. That looked set to continue as he began 2023 by winning two of the first four races, but a woeful run of form has left some to question whether he will even be allowed to see out the final year of his deal. As things stand, an extension beyond 2024 looks highly unlikely.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari: Like his team-mate, Carlos Sainz's hopes of pushing on with his F1 career in 2023 have been hampered by an underperforming Ferrari. The Spaniard has made it clear he wants to have his mid to long-term future resolved by the start of the 2024 season, so look out for developments
Esteban Ocon, Alpine: Despite a disappointing start to the season, which has led to major upheaval in the leadership team at Alpine, Ocon has continued the solid form that saw him rewarded with a three-year extension back in 2021. The Frenchman's podium in Monaco has undoubtedly been the highlight of Alpine's season to this point.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin: Although he is the oldest driver on the grid, having turned 42 in July, Fernando Alonso continues to show his class. The Spaniard made a stunning start to life with Aston Martin, claiming six podiums in his first eight races. While their form has fallen off a little since then, the prospect of a further extension for Alonso wouldn't appear to be beyond the realms of possibility.
Pierre Gasly, Alpine: After finally departing the Red Bull family for a big-money contract with Alpine, Gasly has endured a challenging start to life with the French team. While that's been down to the car as much as him, the 27-year-old will want to show his worth during the remainder of the campaign. Gasly's deal reportedly includes an option to be extended until 2025.
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas: After three seasons without a permanent drive, Hulkenberg has made a highly impressive return to F1. He has outqualified and outscored his team-mate, and could generate interest from further up the grid if he can maintain his current level of performance.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren: After a steady start to his rookie campaign, Oscar Piastri is beginning to live up to the hype. The Australian secured a first Sprint podium finish in Belgium and is pushing his highly-rated team-mate Lando Norris very hard. It would be a surprise if McLaren weren't already looking into extending this deal beyond the end of 2024.
Alex Albon, Williams: In 2022, Alex Albon signed a multi-year deal with Williams that said he would race for the team in 2023 and beyond, so we can assume it runs until at least the end of 2024. The British-born Thai driver has put together a highly impressive start to 2023, and will undoubtedly be on the radar of some teams further up the grid.
End of 2025Lando Norris, McLaren: The long-term contract Norris signed in 2022 was being talked about as a major error by the Brit as McLaren struggled during the opening weeks of the 2023 season. However, a stunning turnaround has catapulted the team back into podium contention, and everything seems to be back on track for the 23-year-old. While he might think twice before signing such a lengthy deal in future, he at least looks set to see out the deal.
George Russell, Mercedes: After a hugely impressive first season with Mercedes, in which he outperformed his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, the team unsurprisingly took up an option to add an extra year to Russell's contract, extending it until 2025. The Brit has left little doubt that he has the potential to lead the team whenever Hamilton does decide to hang up his helmet.
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo: For a driver that was brought to Alfa Romeo at significant expense on a long-term deal to lead the team, Bottas has had a slightly underwhelming 2023, only marginally outperforming his far less experienced team-mate. He's locked in until the end of 2025, when Audi will take over the Sauber team, but it seems unlikely he has a future with them beyond that date.
End of 2028Max Verstappen, Red Bull: The mega deal Verstappen signed with Red Bull in 2022 is looking better and better from the team's perspective, with the Dutchman well on his way to a third successive drivers' title. Verstappen has repeatedly warned the growingly hectic and varied F1 schedule could make this his last contract, but it's a good while until we need to worry about that.
UnknownLance Stroll, Aston Martin: Lance Stroll is the rare case of a driver whose contract is completely unknown, most likely due to the fact that his father owns the team he drives for. While his form approaching the summer break hasn't been the greatest, it looks like Stroll will be given a drive for as long as he still has the passion and desire for it.
2023-02-09T06:28:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd