F1 team principal predicts 'big driver move' next season

Williams team principal James Vowles is anticipating another major driver market shift to occur next year.

The current grid saw a huge shake-up in the field as only two teams - McLaren and Aston Martin - entered the year with the same line-up from the 2024 campaign.

Next year will see the introduction of new technical regulations, with significant changes being made to the aerodynamics and the power units.

Half of the grid, including world champions Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, are believed to be out of contract at the end of the season.

Vowles is expecting various conversations to be held throughout the paddock ahead of more driver movement for the 2027 campaign.

“I think the end of 2026 will be another big driver market move,” he told Sky F1.

“In and around, a lot of drivers' contracts come up at that stage.”

Williams has Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz under contract for next year as it targets a step up in the pecking order.

Vowles has asserted he will start conversations over his 2027 drives early in the year to avoid complications later in the season.

“I have two drivers who believe in what we are doing with the longevity of this team, the investment in this team and the direction to go back towards winning championships,” Vowles added.

“My job in all of this is to make sure they are fairly rewarded for that journey and they want to be a part of that journey at the same time.

“That’s what I can provide and offer them. If someone else wants to offer them twice the money, that’s their choice in doing so.

“They are key leaders on having a direct impact on what this car looks like tomorrow and what it looks like in one year’s time.

“That’s something not provided to a lot of drivers up and down the grid, almost treated as a separate asset and entity that comes in.

“That’s not what we provide here. 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’ instead of letting things linger until the August break. Commit early.”