There are many seats up for grabs for the 2026 season. Whilst some F1 drivers have been locked down, other contracts are yet to be renewed.
Rumours are beginning to circulate as the announcement season looms on us. From Cadillac to Mercedes, there are some opportunities arising.
So, let’s go through the driver line ups!
Alpine
Currently, only one seat is full for the 2026 season – that being Pierre Gasly. However, the second seat has been unstable since the start of 2025. Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto have both struggled massively
in the car and there has been discourse online.
Many fans are saying that Doohan was gone too early and also that the team has poor management. Regardless of this, the second seat is not full just yet.
Aston Martin
Both seats are full for Aston Martin as F1 icon Fernando Alonso has one seat until the 2026 season is over, and Lance Stroll fills the other.
Audi
The Audi team (previously Kick Sauber) has set their drivers in place also. The current line-up of Nico Hulkenburg and Gabriel Bortoleto will continue on.
Bortoleto’s contract expires after the 2026 season and Hulkenburg’s 2027.
Cadillac
This is a new team on the grid. Therefore, both seats are available. Right now, there is plenty of discourse going on regarding who is going to get the seats. The most popular choices are Checo Perez, Mick Schumacher and also Valtteri Bottas. However, no official information is out yet.
Update
It has been officially announced that Checo Perez and Valtteri Bottas are the 2026 drivers for Cadillac.
Ferrari
Like some other teams, Ferrari have signed both current drivers’ contracts until after the 2026 season has finished. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are staying in both seats. Hamilton’s contract
expires 2026, whereas Leclerc in 2029.
Haas
Like Ferrari, Haas have also signed both of their current drivers for the 2026 season.
Ollie Bearman as well as Esteban Ocon will drive in 2026. This is when both of their contracts expire.
McLaren
McLaren has also got their driver line up prepared for the 2026 season. Both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will drive for McLaren once again in 2026.
Norris’ contract expires in 2027 and Piastri’s in 2028.
Mercedes
Both seats are free for Mercedes in 2026.
Fans are urging Toto Wolff and the Mercedes team to keep their driver line up of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for 2026. However, rumours about one driver being replaced with Max Verstappen are overwhelming social media currently.
Red Bull
Red Bull is not so straight forward. Although Max Verstappen has a contract until 2028, whether he is staying at RB is a mystery for now. There is speculation of Max going to Mercedes; however, everything is
strictly rumours as of now.
Combined with this, the 2nd seat is yet to be confirmed. We don’t know where this leaves Yuki Tsunoda.
VCARB
These seats are also both free as of now.
Currently, the VCARB drivers are Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, and fans quite like this line up. There has been some speculation regarding them both online, saying that Lawson’s chances at staying at VCARB are
high. However, Hadjar supposedly be moving to Red Bull.
Williams
Both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are set to drive for Williams in the 2026 season. Sainz’ contract expires after the 2026 season and Albon’s in 2027.
Overall, there are many things confirmed and many that are not. It is only with time that things will be officially public.
Who do you think should go where? Let us know!