What does the 2025 F1 driver lineup appear to be?

The 2024 Method 1 season made historical past for the game when the primary race started. When the lights went out to begin the Bahrain Grand Prix, it was the primary time in F1 historical past that the drivers who ended the earlier season had been the identical precise drivers — in the identical precise spots — when the subsequent 12 months started.

Nonetheless, the season additionally started with adjustments looming on the horizon. Not solely was over half of the grid starting the 12 months on an expiring contract, the stunning information that Lewis Hamilton could be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari on the finish of 2024 kicked the F1 “foolish season” into overdrive.

Slowly, subsequent 12 months’s lineup is rounding into form. The information that Pink Bull reached a brand new two-year deal signifies that over half of the grid is now set for 2025.

So how does the 2025 F1 driver lineup look? Right here is the way it stands in the intervening time, with 9 spots nonetheless formally up for grabs.

This piece shall be up to date as new contracts are introduced.

Alpine

Alpine entered the 2024 F1 season with two drivers on the ultimate 12 months of their contracts, in Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. With Ocon and Alpine saying forward of the Canadian Grand Prix that they may “half methods” on the finish of the 2024 season, one seat is formally vacant for 2025. Rumors persist about Gasly’s future with the workforce, however with the Ocon announcement the workforce may look to retain him for 2025, to maintain some degree of continuity inside the group.

Earlier this week we took a take a look at potential choices for Alpine for not less than Ocon’s present seat.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin is likely one of the few groups presently with a lineup set for 2025. Fernando Alonso entered the 12 months on the ultimate season of his present contract, however the events not too long ago introduced a brand new “multi-year contract.” As for Lance Stroll, his contract standing is one thing of a thriller, however it’s understood that he’s on a rolling contract, one which has been described within the media as “indefinite.”

• Fernando Alonso — “Multi-year” contract via not less than 2026
• Lance Stroll — “Rolling” contract

Haas

Much like Alpine, Haas is one other workforce that entered the 12 months with a pair of drivers on the ultimate 12 months of their offers, and now is aware of for sure that one spot is open for 2025. Nico Hülkenberg introduced forward of the Miami Grand Prix that he was shifting to Sauber for 2025 and past, forward of that workforce turning into the Audi works outfit in 2026. Kevin Magnussen is within the remaining 12 months of his deal, and it stays unclear if he shall be retained for 2025.

A reputation that has been typically linked with not less than one spot at Haas for 2025? Ferrari academy driver and super-sub Oliver Bearman.

Ferrari

Ferrari kicked off the F1 foolish season within the winter, when the beautiful announcement got here that Lewis Hamilton could be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari on the conclusion of the 2024 season. With the workforce having already introduced a brand new deal for Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s lineup is ready for 2025 … and past.

• Charles Leclerc — “Multi-year” contract
• Lewis Hamilton — “Multi-year” contract

McLaren

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Final October I sat down with McLaren CEO Zak Brown for an unique interview, and at the moment the workforce boss advised me in no unsure phrases that in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri the workforce has the very best driver duo on the grid.

So it ought to come as no shock that the workforce labored over the previous few months to increase Norris, guaranteeing each drivers are with the workforce into the brand new period of F1 rules.

• Lando Norris — “Multi-year” contract
• Oscar Piastri — Contract via 2026

Mercedes

Close to the top of final season it appeared Mercedes would take pleasure in a interval of stability, or not less than via the 2025 season. With George Russell signed till the top of the 2025 marketing campaign, and Lewis Hamilton including two extra years to a deal that was set to run out on the finish of 2024, the Silver Arrows appeared set.

That modified with the Hamilton information. Now the workforce is contemplation choices for the seat subsequent to Russell, and certain trying to lengthen Russell past his present deal.

A variety of choices have been linked with this second seat at Mercedes, with many indicators pointing to phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

• George Russell — Contract via 2025
• TBD

Pink Bull

Whereas the stunning Hamilton announcement formally kicked off the 2025 F1 foolish season hypothesis, in fact it started nicely earlier than that. Sergio Pérez’s mid-season struggles throughout 2023, notably in qualifying, led to rampant hypothesis relating to his future with Pink Bull. Whereas he started the season on a deal set to run out on the finish of 2024, there have been sure corners of the F1 world that questioned if he would even see the beginning of 2024 with the workforce, or if he could be probably sacked mid-season on account of poor type.

Pink Bull ended that hypothesis forward of the Canadian Grand Prix, saying a brand new two-year cope with Pérez that may hold him with the workforce via 2026.

As for the opposite Pink Bull driver, absent a seismic transfer that seat is locked up for a very long time.

• Max Verstappen — Contract via 2028
• Sergio Pérez — Contract via 2026

Sauber

Sauber entered 2024 with a driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, two drivers on expiring offers.

Now one in every of their seats is ready for 2025 and past, because the workforce introduced again in April that Nico Hülkenberg could be becoming a member of the workforce for subsequent season. With Sauber set to grow to be the Audi works operation in 2026, pairing a German driver with a German producer makes a deal of sense.

Nonetheless, who his teammate shall be subsequent 12 months is a matter of debate.

• Nico Hülkenberg — “Multi-year” contract via 2026
• TBD

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Three drivers, two seats.

That’s how the 12 months started for VCARB, as Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson all offered viable choices for the workforce. Finally, the workforce went with Ricciardo and Tsunoda, each of whom are on expiring contracts. Will VCARB carry each again for 2025, or make adjustments?

Williams

A stunning seventh-place end within the 2023 Constructors’ Championship noticed Williams run it again this 12 months with each Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant. Like final 12 months, nevertheless, the beginning has been gradual for the workforce. Throughout 2023 Williams notched a single level within the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and didn’t rating once more till the Canadian Grand Prix, when Albon completed seventh.

This season Williams lastly broke via with factors within the Monaco Grand Prix with Albon’s ninth-place end.

The workforce introduced a contract extension for Albon earlier this season, however who his teammate shall be in 2025 is a matter but to be determined.

• Alexander Albon — “Multi-year” contract via not less than 2026
• TBD