F1 set for major shake-up with seven drivers contracts expiring

Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo could be at the forefront of a huge shakeup in Formula One next season and cause a massive domino effect.

There's only one driver who is having a properly good time in F1 this year and that's Max Verstappen, who is walking away with the drivers' championship.

The Red Bull superstar did say earlier in the year that he could be tempted to call it a day in the sport but right now it's pretty easy for him.

Despite that Lando Norris doesn't think the sport has actually become boring, citing the battles behind the Dutchman as being very exciting.

Certainly Hamilton has had one of the toughest years of anyone as he heads towards a second successive season without a race win.

The seven time world champion has arguably not been having a great time of life in his car since the final race of the 2021 season, even if Hannah Waddingham thinks he's an eight time champion.

There has been speculation a few times that he could walk away from the sport or leave Mercedes and find a new team to race for.

The British racer's contract with the German company ends in December and so far he's yet to sign a new deal, with reports he wants a new five year contract.

Merc are said to only want to hand the 38-year-old a one or two year contract, leaving them at an impasse and furthering the chances of him leaving.

Hamilton could leave Mercedes in the summer. Image: Getty

The former McLaren driver's contract situation isn't the only one up in the air either and it could lead the way for a domino effect of drivers moving.

There are six more whose contracts expire at the end of the current season with Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Logan Sargent and Zhou Guanyu all in the same boat.

Ricciardo is only just returning to the grid this weekend in Hungary after taking over from Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, having started the year as Red Bull's reserve driver.

A lot of speculation suggests the Australian could return to a race seat at Red Bull if Sergio Perez's poor form continues, three years after leaving the Austrians.

Ricciardo is back racing this weekend. Image: Getty

Red Bull have also had a history of doing away with AlphaTauri drivers if they don't believe they'll make the step up to the main team, meaning Tsunoda could be out of a drive too.

Hamilton would also need replacing with both Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc having been linked to the seat in the past, and the seven time champ likewise being rumoured to be interesting the Italians.

There is only this weekend's Hungary Grand Prix and next weekend's race at Spa, Belgium, before the midseason break and so much is yet to be decided.

Will Hamilton end up signing a new deal at Mercedes?