Kevin Magnussen, Logan Sargeant and Sauber pair of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu talk about their future course in F1 amid no contract.
The driver market for F1 2025 has been on since the shock switch of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari from Mercedes. It left Carlos Sainz with no seat and an open seat at the German team. There are plenty of others in the market too as we approach the halfway mark.
While Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren are set with their drivers, all of the rest seven F1 teams still have at least one seat yet to be confirmed. Among the drivers with no drives are Magnussen, Sargeant, Bottas and Guanyu, along with Esteban Ocon.
The Frenchman has been linked to seats at Haas and Sauber/Audi so far. The former has both seats up for grabs for now, as Magnussen is not a certain either. The Dane has had a wretched season so far, but wishes to continue in F1 with the American outfit.
He doesn’t have an option B just yet with full focus on the Haas F1 seat. He knows there is a risk of him not getting a new contract as the team has names like Ocon, Oliver Bearman and even Bottas being linked up, which could see an all-new line-up.
For Bottas, he was spotted at Williams motorhome but nothing has been firm yet. The British outfit has been chasing Sainz in public to partner Alexander Albon. The Finn doesn’t feel bad to not be the #1 choice at Sauber, as he feels F1 is a sport like that anyhow.
The public chase has put Sargeant in a spot of bother too and his low-key performances isn’t helping his case as well. He doesn’t have a Plan B either. As for Guanyu, his Alpine relation has linked him to a seat there but there is nothing firm on that side too.
With Ocon leaving, Pierre Gasly is most certain to stay, but the Frenchman is not giving anything away about his contract. The Chinese driver has backing to remain in F1 still, but he doesn’t wish to be reserve. Although, if nothing works out, he will take that option.
Future course –
Magnussen: “Yes, there is a chance of that happening [that I lose the Haas seat]. The team knows me very well. I am a known quantity to them. So I don’t think there’s anything I need to prove. It’s a very open driver market this time around and we’ll see how it pans out. I’ve made it clear that I would love to continue here, and the team is in a good position and I’d love to be part of it.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to take until we know how it’s going to go, but until then, you just keep driving. I want to be in Formula 1, so that’s what my mind is at, at the moment. Until that’s not impossible anymore, I’ll keep focused on that. Whatever happens, I’ll deal with that, at that stage.”
Guanyu: “Seats are still available, it’s always still an option. And of course like I already mentioned in the past you know my story with Alpine. I always had a very good connection in the past because the team really helped me to have the chance maybe before Formula 1. I was really grateful to join Alfa Romeo at the time and to have the chance to be in F1. Now I’m open to let’s say all the teams. We’re talking to discuss about my future. Nothing’s been confirmed. I feel like there should be a spot for me in the future on this grid, but I just don’t know where.”
Bottas: “I need to do my choice quickly. Nothing obviously has been confirmed or signed yet from my side, so no really big news since Monaco, but still working with all the options that there is and need to make a move soon, that’s basically where I’m at. I’m confident I’m going to get a seat, but obviously in this sport nothing is confirmed so its never 100% sure until you are signed, but at least how I see the situation at the moment I’m not worrying. But yeah, it should be an interesting week or two ahead for sure.”
Sargeant: “Over the past few rounds I’ve done a pretty good job with what I’ve had. So I don’t hold any regret on that side. I think I’m doing what I can. I think just looking forward it’s nice to have the cars coming back closer together and that sort of starts this weekend. So yeah, I feel like I’ve done a good job over the past few rounds. It just isn’t really, I guess, visible. I think that you always have a hand to play. At the end of the day, I’ve been with the team since the end of 2021. We’ve been working towards the same goal. I think now I feel close to being able to perform at the level I need to. And I will fight no matter what the situation is. So that’s sort of the mindset. And no, [I have no Plan B as yet].”
Deadline, options –
Magnussen: “I don’t really have a deadline, I think as I said, it is still a very open driver market and it is going to be interesting to see how it pans out for everyone but I haven’t set myself any dates or anything like that. Certainly, this is most drivers out of contract in the same year which I have experienced.”
Guanyu: “I don’t want to be a “reserve”. I don’t want to take a year off. I don’t think this kind of.. retirement is good – let’s say at this age of my career, I don’t really want to take a year off . In Formula 1, when you take a year off, it’s difficult to come back. Just because you’re not racing at such a high level. Every year, the cars are changing and you need to adapt to understand something different. My option is of course to try to get a seat for next year. Reserve is definitely not an option at the moment. If you have to, then we have to see, we have to consider [being a reserve]. But at the moment I’m not trying to think that way.”
Things started early, difficult to maintain –
Bottas: “It’s nothing strange, it’s not my first time and it’s just the way it is. If you know like for example Lewis, if you know you’re leaving already to another team, of course it’s not the same than if you’re going to stay there. That’s how it is. But seasons go by quickly, so in no time he’ll be wearing red and it’s fine. But for me it’s okay and like I said, I just need to figure out my situation, focus on that and then we’ll see if things are awkward or not. It’s something you get used to. Obviously it’s a way more comfortable feeling if you know what is happening. At the same time it’s kind of exciting, a certain element of unknowns, there could be something new and exciting on the way, that’s kind of nice.
“One just needs to live with the situation and it’s still actually, if you look at example my past when I’ve been normally confirmed to certain teams. Still very early in terms of the season so if you can do things before the August break that’s already a good thing. It seems like [trend is to start early negotiations]. Lewis triggered a bit more action this year. But that seems to be the trend. I don’t see it as an issue. It’s nice that there’s flexibility and differences on that. Some teams are willing to wait until the last minute but then that provides a risk of having less options.”
Frustration of not being an automatic choice –
Bottas: I feel like at the moment they want quite a lot of change in the team. Probably the same thing with the driver line-up. That’s how I read the situation. They are willing to wait for a long time. But I can’t forever. This team is definitely still an option. I don’t have the time to wait for too long. That’s why I want to speed things up. Of course I was personally always going to be part of the project and this is what I’ve been communicated within the last 12 months or so.
“But things have been a bit more quiet lately so that’s why I need to try and read the situation and do my thing. I haven’t seen much about next year’s car if I’m honest, but that’s normal. That’s how it goes, that would go in the same way for any driver who is not confirmed yet. And if I would be confirmed here then I’m sure I would see a lot more stuff, so that’s just how it goes.”
Here’s Williams pair on Canadian GP
Here’s Haas pair on Canadian GP
Here’s Sauber naming a CCO
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact