What is the current situation of the existing contracts of the drivers which will take part in the 2023 Formula 1 season? This year it seems that everyone has secured a seat in Formula 1: there are some teams who decided to bet on experienced drivers, those who have chosen to focus everything on rookies and other teams who have brought back to the track names that we have come to know in the paddock and that we are happy to see again in the motorhome.
However, we know it well, the world of Formula 1 is constantly changing and anything can happen from one moment to the next (we remember, for example, the Gasly-Albon switch a few years ago, decided by Red Bull). Consequently, although there are already extended contracts beyond 2023, not all the drivers on the starting grid can sleep peacefully. Least of all those whose contract is expiring at the very end of this year.
2023, THE LAST ADVENTURE?
Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Zhou Guanyu, Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, Kevin Magnussen. There are 7 drivers who will start the 2023 world championship aware that this could be their last year in Formula 1 or at least alongside the team whose colors they currently wear. Among the most important figures there is certainly the seven-time F1 world champion, whose contract has been a topic of discussion since the beginning of the previous campaign. Hamilton has always stressed that he is not ready to retire, but nothing has yet been said about his immediate future in Formula 1.
The most plausible options are the extension of the contract for another year, or a two-year contract that would lead the Briton to race in Formula 1 even when in his 40s. However, regardless of the length of the new deal, it also looks like this could be his last contract renewal. The situation is similar to that of his teammate, appointed Mercedes driver in 2021.
At the time of his arrival in the German team, the duration of the contract between the two had not been officially specified, which seemed to have generally taken the form of a “multi-year contract”. In Formula 1, this often means a 2+1 year contract, but one that could easily be renewed at the end of this period given his performance in 2022.
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The rookies are also under pressure, between those who have joined last season and those who are making their debut this year. Zhou and Tsunoda began their Formula 1 careers in 2022, respectively in Alfa Romeo Racing and AlphaTauri. Both are called to give their best this year, to secure a renewal or a long-term contract. Another situation is that of Sargeant, newly hired by Williams, who however perhaps already feels the pressure and the presence of his teammate, who is also obliged to make no mistake in order to keep his seat in Williams.
DRIVERS SAFE ON THE STARTING GRID (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)
A different situation for those who, on the other hand, see their contract expiring next year. Among these, there are also the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz hope that Ferrari will be ready to return to the top this year, after the difficulties faced in recent seasons. For the Monegasque, according to the rumors spread in the paddock, it could be the right moment to extend his deal, thanks also to the arrival of new team principal Fred Vasseur. For the Spaniard, however, there are rumors of a future in Audi, who will enter Formula 1 from 2026.
Also in this case, among the protagonists there are two newcomers. We are talking about Oscar Piastri and Nyck De Vries. The first, a new McLaren signing, will work alongside Lando Norris and will have the next two years available to impress the team and snatch a multi-year contract. The second, winner of the Formula E world championship who has already had the opportunity to experience the feeling of racing in Formula 1, will join Tsunoda in AlphaTauri, aiming however for a more ambitious position: the seat next to that of Max Verstappen, who could become free at the very end of 2024 .
Among the veterans of the sport, Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg will also see their contracts end after the next year. The two, signed by Aston Martin and Haas, do not seem to want to leave the world of Formula 1 and, despite the experience that characterizes both, they are ready to battle with their younger opponents on the starting grid because they still enjoy the feeling Formula 1 gives them.
A FUTURE ALREADY CLEAR
Finally, we arrive at the luckiest drivers in Formula 1. Those who, barring last-minute changes, have secured a seat on the starting grid for several years to come. Among these there is Max Verstappen who, in search of other world titles, has signed an agreement with Red Bull until 2028. However, the Dutchman has repeatedly stated that he also wants to try other experiences, in addition to Formula 1, so we can not rule out his retirement from the scene over the next few years.
Absent, at the moment, from this discussion regarding the contract situation is Lance Stroll. The Aston Martin driver, who made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2017, was then signed by Racing Point after his father’s side took over the team. To date, there is no certain information on his contract. The rumours, the same ones who pointed the finger emphasizing how he had arrived at Racing Point only thanks to his father’s resources, agree in saying that his time with the team depends mainly on Lawrence Stroll’s decisions.
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