The 2025 F1 ‘silly season’ will soon be upon us. But it will be slightly different this time around. Most drivers on the current grid have valid contracts running until the end of the 2026 season or beyond. But there are a few who will be in the market. Here are five F1 contract situations to watch beyond 2025.
5 F1 contract situations to look out for in 2025
George Russell
Russell is currently without an F1 drive for 2026. There were strong rumors about a contract extension at Mercedes earlier in the season, but these seem to have died down. The Briton believes that talks regarding a new deal are being postponed because Mercedes are looking to secure a move for Max Verstappen.
Russell has finished on five podiums in 2025, including his race win in Canada. He has stepped into the team leader role after Lewis Hamilton’s departure. The 27-year-old has done everything that was asked of him. However, he still does not have a confirmed contract at the Silver Arrows beyond 2025.
Kimi Antonelli
On the other side of the Mercedes garage, Antonelli is also without a contract beyond 2025. Toto Wolff gambled on the teenage superstar, but only offered him a year-long contract this year. Many reports suggest that Mercedes does see Antonelli as a long-term prospect, and his brilliant start to life in F1 is only helping his case for securing an extension.
But Mercedes seems busy pursuing Verstappen at the moment. So much like Russell, Antonelli’s future at the team also hangs in the balance for now.
Yuki Tsunoda
Tsunoda replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull after just two rounds of the 2025 season. However, the Japanese driver contract’s spanned only until the end of the season. Christian Horner wanted to see how Tsunoda fairs before committing to a long-term deal.
As of now, Tsunoda is struggling to match Verstappen at the Austrian team. With the likes of Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad waiting in the wings, it is difficult to see Tsunoda keeping his seat if his poor run of form continues.
Isack Hadjar
Hadjar would be many people’s pick for rookie of the season in 2025. But the Frenchman had only signed a one-year deal at Racing Bulls at the start of the season. Given his performances, it is hard to see this deal not being extended.
Hadjar could even be called up by the senior Red Bull team in 2026, if he continues impressing. But as of now, he is without a contract for 2026. His teammate, Liam Lawson, is also in the same boat.
Max Verstappen
Verstappen features on this list even though he has a contract at Red Bull until 2028. Multiple reports have suggested that the Dutchman has numerous release clauses in his contract. One of these could potentially allow him to leave post-2025, if he is outside of the top two or three in the drivers’ standings after a particular point in the season.
There is no confirmation about the exact nature of the release clauses in Verstappen’s contract. But the existence of some performance-based clauses has been confirmed by Christian Horner and Helmut Marko previously. Mercedes are also interested in securing the 27-year-old’s services. This makes Verstappen’s contract situation one to monitor post-2025.
