James Vowles hints at major 2026 F1 driver market shift as talks begin early

Williams F1 team principal James Vowles is anticipating “another big driver market move” at the end of 2026, and has revealed plans to begin early contract talks with his current drivers to avoid uncertainty.

Lewis Hamilton’s shock decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari triggered a raft of other moves in the driver market ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

Mercedes explored their options as they sought a Hamilton replacement.

Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, and Kimi Antonelli were all linked with a move to Mercedes, but Toto Wolff ultimately decided on the latter.

This had a knock-on effect on the rest of the driver market, as Sainz was forced to choose between Alpine, Sauber, and Williams.

Williams’ current drivers, Sainz and Alex Albon, are out of contract at the end of next year.

If Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull at the end of next year, the driver market will likely be busy.

Unsurprisingly, Vowles is keen to lock down his current drivers by opening talks early.

“I think the end of 2026 will be another big driver market move. A lot of contracts come up at that stage,” Vowles told Sky Sports.

“Simple answer is this. I have two drivers that believe in what we’re doing in terms of the longevity of this team, the investments in this team, and the direction to go back towards winning championships.

“And my job in all of this is making sure they’re fairly rewarded for that journey, and they want to be a part of that journey as well at the same time. And that’s what I can provide and offer them.”

Sainz and Albon “key leaders” at Williams

Williams have enjoyed a remarkable transformation under Vowles’ leadership.

They sit fifth in the constructors’ championship, which would be their highest finish since 2017.

Vowles described his current drivers as “key leaders” in determining the direction of Williams moving forward.

“Now if someone else wants to offer them twice that money, that’s their choice in doing so,” he added.

“But they are key leaders that are having a direct impact on what this car looks like tomorrow and what it looks like in a year’s time - something not provided to a lot of drivers up and down the grid. Almost treated as a separate asset, a separate entity that comes in. That’s not what we provide here.

“And the second part of it is making sure we have conversations early enough in 2026 that this is where I want us to be for the future, and instead of letting things linger until the August break, commit early.”