2018 F1 grid: Who is confirmed and who isn't for next season
This is what we know so far about who will be driving where next year
With the news that Kimi Raikkonen is to be retained by Ferrari for another season, we decided to take a look at how the rest of the grid is shaping up for next season.
The following shows, to the best of our knowledge, who actually has a confirmed contract for next season.
Some of these drivers may be highly likely to stay in their seats, but there are plenty yet to actually be officially confirmed.
Information is correct as of 23/8/2017.
MERCEDES
Lewis Hamilton - contract until the end of 2018
Lewis signed a new three-year deal in late 2015 and so heads into next season in the last year of that arrangement.
Unless something truly extraordinary happens (like if he decides to 'pull a Rosberg' and retire at the end of this year), Hamilton will be in the silver car again next season
Valtteri Bottas - out of contract
The former Williams driver was only given a one year deal when he came over from the Grove outfit to replace retired champ Nico Rosberg earlier this year.
It made sense from Merc's point of view as they assessed whether he was capable of stepping up to a top team, but wins in Russia and Austria will have hugely helped his cause.
Merc boss Toto Wolff revealed the team has opened talks with Bottas for next year, but with a lot of top drivers out of contract at the end of next year, the latest Flying Finn might have to make do with another one year deal.
FERRARI
Kimi Raikkonen - contract until the end of 2018
Kimi is delighted about his new contract
As expected, Ferrari confirmed on Tuesday that Raikkonen would stay with the team for another year.
The veteran Finn has hardly been pulling up trees this season, but he gets on very well with the Scuderia's lead driver Sebastian Vettel and largely for that reason, he stays for another year.
Sebastian Vettel - out of contract
Vettel is yet to be confirmed for next season
The current world championship leader does not currently have a contract for next season, and rumours persist of strong interest from Mercedes.
But it's unlikely Wolff would pair Vettel with Hamilton next season, and with Raikkonen confirmed in the other car that is surely a sign that Vettel's new deal is imminent - even if it is only a one year extension, leaving him free to join Merc in 2019.
RED BULL RACING
DANIEL RICCIARDO - Contract until the end of 2018
The Australian grinner is almost four years through his five year deal, and despite some tentative interest from other teams, he is under lock and key at Red Bull for another season at least.
Max Verstappen - Contract until the end of 2019
The flying Dutchman has had a meteoric rise over the past couple of season, drawing interest from Ferrari and Mercedes in particular.
But boss Christian Horner insists he has a water-tight deal and won't be going anywhere.
"I've got no doubt that both Max and Daniel will be driving an RB14 next year," he said.
FORCE INDIA
Sergio Perez - Out of contract
The fastest driver in all Mexico is into his fourth year with Force India, and is already in talks to make that a fifth.
Perez could have gone to Renault for this year, but chose to stick with his current team and boss Vijay Mallya is keen to retain him again.
"We have already commenced talks with him for the renewal of his contract," said Mallya.
Esteban Ocon - Under contract
The young Frenchman has impressed plenty in F1 with his assured drives in his first full season and Force India will be hoping they can hang on to him.
Renault are known to be interested, but Ocon has a "multi-year" deal with Force India, so it would cost the French factory team to prise him out of that.
WILLIAMS
Lance Stroll - To be confirmed
Williams have yet to announce any aspect of their driver line-up for next season, but given that Lance's dad Lawrence Stroll is bringing an estimated $20m of funding to the team, it's just a matter of time before the Canadian rookie is confirmed for 2018.
Felipe Massa - Out of contract
Felipe - what are your chances of driving for Williams next year?
Brazilian veteran Massa was not even under contract for this season until Mercedes poached Valtteri Bottas away from Grove.
He has not deal for next year as yet, and could well be on his way if Williams can find a fast, regular points scorer to replace him.
TORO ROSSO
Carlos Sainz - Under contract
Sainz made some noises about moving on from the junior Red Bull outfit for 2018, but boss Christian Horner shot that down in July when he confirmed the Spaniard was being retained.
"We've exercised his option as well, so he's under contract," Horner told Sky F1. "We have an option on him for next year and the year after, so he'll be in a Toro Rosso again next year."
Daniil Kvyat - Out of contract
The Russian was demoted from the senior team down to Toro Rosso to make room for Max Verstappen last year, and despite a number of crashes this season, he could yet be kept on for 2018.
When asked if Kvyat's option had been taken up, Horner said: "Not yet but I cannot see a scenario where it won't be.
"He has actually driven a pretty sensible season so far, so the likelihood is that it will be taken up in the relatively near future."
HAAS
Romain Grosjean - To be confirmed
Team owner Gene Haas says Grosjean will stay with the team for a third year in 2018, but it's unclear if the deal has actually been signed.
"We will run with the same drivers that we have this year again next year. That is a given," Haas told the official Formula 1 website in July.
Kevin Magnussen - under contract
K-Mag signed a "multi-year" deal when he joined for this season, so he'll be representing F1's American outfit again in 2018.
RENAULT
Nico Hulkenberg - Under contract
The German driver penned a multi-year deal when he left Force India for Renault for 2017. And given that he's scored every single one of the 26 points the team has managed so far, they'd be mad to let him go.
Jolyon Palmer - Out of contract
The former GP2 champ has struggled all season and some have even speculated whether Renault might replace him before the season is even over.
Team boss Cyril Abiteboul has said Palmer is an option for next year, but says: "That is in his hands," adding that Palmer must "perform like any driver who makes it to F1 has to perform.
"I am not going to take away the fact that there is pressure," he said.
Translation: unless he wins every race from now until the end of the season, he's out of there.
McLAREN
Fernando Alonso - Out of contract
This is the final season of a miserable three-year deal for Fernando at Woking.
The team desperately wants him to stay but he has yet to make up his mind. With other options narrowing, he might be left with little choice but to hope Honda gets it right next year.
Stoffel Vandoorne - Under contract
He may be trailing team-mate Alonso in every measurable metric, but the young Belgian will be driving for McLaren next year, as confirmed by the team on Wednesday.
“I’m delighted that the team has now formally announced that I will continue to race for them next year, because I’ll be able to approach the second half of my rookie season with total focus on the job in hand: namely getting the very most I can out of my car, my engineers, and everything and everyone around me," he said.
Team boss Zak Brown said: “Before anyone asks me any questions about duration, we don’t want to go into that kind of confidential contractual detail, but let me put it this way: when we signed Stoffel, we intended that he would race for us for a significant number of years, and that remains our firm intention.
“We all know Stoffel’s potential, and when we have a package fast enough to win grands prix again – and we will – Stoffel will be in the right place to score his first Formula 1 victory.”
SAUBER
Pascal Wehrlein - Out of contract
The Mercedes-backed driver has no deal in place for 2018 as yet, and is on the look-out for a seat.
It could yet be with Sauber, but with them switching to Ferrari engines for next year, there's more likelihood of the Swiss squad taking one of the Scuderia-backed young drivers like Antonio Giovinazzi or Charles Leclerc.
Marcus Ericsson - Out of contract
The Swedish driver has yet to be confirmed for next year as the team assess their options, but given that he has links to the team owners, he has a very good chance of being retained.
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Comments (11)
maybe alonso for indycar ypu never know, probaldy sign a 12 month extension to stay at mclaren next year.
I don't see Alonso getting a consistent front-running car next year, would like to see him jump over to Williams to replace Massa as at least then he'd have something to work with and a chance at a few podiums before his career reaches its end. Given the speed he can drag out of the McLaren package he'd have a chance of a top-step or two with a Williams.
Just imagine , Vettel and Hamilton in Silver Arrows !!!!! how terrific that would be !!
The team would implode if that were the case. Not enough room under the spotlight for either. Nico and Hamilton nearly ruined each other the season Nico won the championship.
yeah !!! eventually it ends like that !!!! but merc will have more chances to win constructors championship !!
Isn't it the way that McLaren announce their retention of Stoffel 10 minutes after you publish something stating that it is yet to be confirmed!
They wanted us to do a separate story - gives me chance to write something more ;)
I know! Typical. Like they were watching me! I have updated it now.