Revealed: The three drivers out of contract at the end of the F1 2025 season

F1 driver contracts always spark intrigue, with moves between teams being labelled ‘silly season’ for a good reason. As it stands, just four seats remain on the grid for F1 2026.

The beginning of the F1 2025 season saw the majority of the grid already tied to long-term deals and a host of rookies joining the field, but with the future of both Mercedes drivers now secured in 2026, we understand just four remain uncontracted for next year, with competition high to either move team, or for promotions from Formula 2.

F1 driver contracts: Whose contract is due to expire in F1 2025?

This article was originally published in December 2024, and has been updated in November 2025 to reflect the current status of the field.

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

Another of the rookies to join the F1 2025 field, Isack Hadjar’s contract with Red Bull junior team Racing Bulls is believed to be a one-year deal.

Hadjar spent two seasons in Formula 2 prior to his promotion to Racing Bulls, getting the nod to represent the team after Liam Lawson was promoted to Red Bull.

Hadjar’s form in the 2025 season has been such that a potential promotion to Red Bull has been rumoured, and while he has yet to make an official announcement over his future, he confirmed in October 2025 that he would be on the grid next season.

At which team, however, remains to be seen.

More on F1 driver line-ups of the future

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Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Red Bull swiftly confirmed Liam Lawson will be partner Max Verstappen in the F1 2025 season in the wake of the announcement from Sergio Perez that he would be departing.

But the nature of Red Bull contracts is such that their drivers can interchange between Red Bull and Racing Bulls as required, which has been the case in the past for the likes of Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon.

With that, Red Bull swapped him back to Racing Bulls after only two starts in the 2025 season, citing the need to perform alongside a “duty of care” to take him out of the spotlight, after difficult weekends in Australia and China respectively.

Lawson admitted he is likely to be left “on hold” over his future for the time being – stressing that to be a normal feature among the Red Bull stable – and has not yet secured a seat for 2026.

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull

Having been on a succession of one-year deals with AlphaTauri and VCARB, Yuki Tsunoda headed into his fifth season with Red Bull’s sister squad at the start of 2025.

Christian Horner admitted it would likely be his last with the team, too, given the need to keep younger drivers coming through Red Bull’s academy system.

So with that make-or-break nature applied to the season, Tsunoda will need to make his promotion to Red Bull count after just two rounds of the 2025 season, being moved up to replace the struggling Liam Lawson in time for his home race at Suzuka.

New team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed a decision over the 2026 Red Bull line-up would be made before the end of the 2025 season, so time is running out to impress.

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