The F1 drivers who left their teams before their contracts expired

Hamilton said that his choice to leave the team he had been with since 2013 was driven by a desire for a change of scenery and the historic opportunity to race for Ferrari.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged that Hamilton had triggered a break clause built into the contract, which allowed such a move without penalty. The move closed a record-breaking chapter between Hamilton and Mercedes, a partnership that had redefined success in the sport.

The Briton had achieved six of his seven titles with Mercedes and won a total of 84 grands prix with the German squad, which made him the most successful driver with a single team in Formula 1 history in terms of race victories.

Fernando Alonso – McLaren

Alonso‘s examples of early exits are one of the most notorious in recent Formula 1 history, and the Spaniard remains one of the few contemporary drivers to have quit two teams before his contract expired.

Alonso’s lone season at McLaren in 2007 is remembered as one of the most turbulent driver-team relationships in modern F1.

The Spaniard joined McLaren as a double world champion, expecting to be the team’s clear number one, but quickly found himself embroiled in a fierce rivalry with rookie team-mate Hamilton.

What began as a promising partnership rapidly deteriorated amid tensions over perceived favouritism, internal mismanagement, and escalating suspicion within the team.

The situation came to a head late in the season, with Alonso feeling unsupported and isolated by McLaren management.

He later revealed that after the penultimate round, when team boss Ron Dennis implied the team was racing against Alonso rather than their main rival, continuing was no longer an option for him.

The 2007 “Spygate” scandal was also a major catalyst for Alonso’s acrimonious departure from McLaren, as the Spaniard’s involvement intensified already fraught internal conflicts.

Despite being under contract for three years, Alonso and McLaren agreed to part ways after just one season.

Fernando Alonso – Ferrari

Alonso’s second early exit came seven years after his first one, this time parting ways with Ferrari before his contract ran out.

While his five-year spell at Ferrari saw him establish himself as one of the grid’s most consistent performers, a third title championship eluded him, and he finished second three times in four years.

In 2014, frustration mounted as Ferrari struggled to deliver a car capable of fighting for titles in the new hybrid era, Alonso finishing down in sixth in the standings without any wins.

Although he was contractually committed through 2016, he made it clear to Ferrari during the 2014 season that he was seeking a route out, ultimately triggering a mutually agreed termination two years early.

Alonso described the decision to leave as difficult but necessary, explaining that a lack of competitiveness and the need for renewed motivation fuelled his choice. The following year, the Spanish driver rejoined McLaren for one of the British team’s worst spells in F1 as it reunited with engine supplier Honda.

Sebastian Vettel – Red Bull

Vettel decided to leave Red Bull at the end of the 2014 season, putting an end to one of the most successful driver-team partnerships in the series’ history.

Though he had a contract extending beyond 2014, Vettel activated a break clause to make an early exit, paving the way for his move to Ferrari to replace Alonso.

The contractual opt-out came at the start of the hybrid era, when Mercedes ended Red Bull’s dominant run that had made Vettel a four-time world champion from 2010 to 2013.

Vettel explained that the motivation for his departure was the desire for a new challenge and the allure of emulating his hero Michael Schumacher at Ferrari.

Sebastian Vettel – Aston Martin

Vettel’s time with Aston Martin came to an end sooner than expected when he announced his retirement from Formula 1 at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Despite the team’s stated desire to retain him for a third year, Vettel chose to step away at the end of his second season, marking the end of an F1 career that had spanned over 15 years.

Aston Martin’s substantial investment had so far failed to deliver the competitive step forward Vettel had hoped for, and the team was still mired in the midfield.

Ultimately, his decision to retire was personal, motivated as much by a desire for new challenges and personal fulfilment as by the on-track realities Aston Martin was facing.

Nico Rosberg – Mercedes

One of the most shocking early exits of recent times, Rosberg‘s decision to retire right after winning the world championship remains a dramatic moment in modern racing history.

He announced his departure from F1 just five days after securing his first and only crown at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2016, following a gruelling year-long title battle with team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

The decision came despite having recently signed a contract extension that was set to keep him at Mercedes through the 2018 season.

“Since 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my ‘one thing’ to become Formula 1 world champion. And now I’ve made it. I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right,” explained Rosberg.

Rosberg’s retirement not only marked the end of an era for Mercedes but also marked him out as one of the few drivers to leave the sport voluntarily at the very top.

Mark Webber – Red Bull

Webber’s decision to leave Red Bull at the end of the 2013 season marked a pivotal moment in his career, the Australian quitting F1 despite having a contract with the team.

Although he had the opportunity to remain with Red Bull, Webber chose to step away entirely, announcing a multi-year agreement with Porsche to spearhead its return to top-level sportscar racing in the World Endurance Championship.

The announcement came as a surprise to many in the paddock, as Red Bull’s management admitted they’d only been informed minutes before the news became public.

In later interviews, Webber said that the intense intra-team rivalry, particularly after the infamous “Multi 21” incident and a perceived lack of equal support compared to Vettel, contributed to his decision.

Michael Schumacher – Jordan

Signed to replace the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot at Jordan in 1991, Schumacher made an instant impression by qualifying an impressive seventh at Spa despite never having raced at the circuit.

His strong debut immediately caught the eye of rival teams and, behind the scenes, events unfolded quickly to change the course of his career.

Although Jordan intended to keep Schumacher beyond a single outing, the contractual situation became the subject of intense scrutiny and manipulation.

Schumacher’s management altered a key clause in the agreement, ensuring it specified he would sign “a contract” with Jordan rather than “the contract,” opening a critical loophole. This allowed Schumacher to accept an offer from the more-promising Benetton for the very next race.

Jordan attempted to block the move via legal channels, insisting on a valid contract, but ultimately a settlement was reached, reportedly with Schumacher or his backers paying a sizeable sum to the team.

The episode was a catalyst for the eventual formation of the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board, which was established to resolve such disputes in the future.

Jacques Villeneuve – BMW Sauber

Villeneuve’s stint with BMW Sauber came to an unexpected end halfway through the 2006 season and signalled the end of the 1997 world champion’s F1 career.

He had joined the team in 2005, but the team wanted to evaluate Robert Kubica as a possible option for 2007.

After a heavy crash at the German Grand Prix, Villeneuve was ruled out of the following race due to injury, allowing Kubica to step in.

Faced with this uncertainty about his future, Villeneuve opted against participating in a shootout for his seat and chose to end his contract early, never racing an F1 car again the Hockenheim crash.

The decision was officially presented as a “mutual agreement,” but Villeneuve later said that a lack of commitment from BMW and the prospect of being subject to evaluation were at the heart of his choice to walk away before the season concluded.

BMW Sauber quickly confirmed Kubica as his replacement for the remainder of the year.

Jenson Button – Williams

Button‘s case is an unusual one of a driver quitting the team, but remaining there after all.

The confusion began during the summer of 2004, as Button’s management identified what they believed to be a loophole in his contract with the BAR team. They argued that a clause allowed him to leave if Honda’s future engine supply to BAR was not secured.

The appeal was that a move back to Williams was on the cards. At the time, the team where Button began his career looked like a stronger bet, thanks to its works-BMW engine deal.

Williams, believing the option was legitimately available, publicly announced Button’s signing for 2005 and 2006, expecting him to partner with Webber at the team.

However, BAR strongly contested this interpretation, insisting its option on Button for 2005 was valid, especially since Honda had formally committed to supplying engines beyond that season.

The dispute was escalated to the independent Contract Recognition Board (CRB) which ruled in favour of BAR, rendering the Williams contract invalid.

That wasn’t quite the end of the saga, however. Button then did a new deal with Williams for the 2006 season, only for BMW to end the partnership. Button had to buy the contract out for an estimated £20m to remain at BAR. It was a hefty price that proved to be worth every penny when he went to win the title with the team (although named Brawn) in 2009.

Carlos Reutemann – Williams

Another driver to quit halfway through the season, never to return to the cockpit, Reutemann parted company with Williams early in 1982. His exit remains one of the most enigmatic in F1’s history.

The previous year, Reutemann had narrowly missed out on the title with Williams, losing out to Brabham’s Nelson Piquet by just one point.

The 1982 season had started strongly for Reutemann with second place behind Alain Prost in South Africa.

However, after retiring from the next race in Brazil, the Argentine abruptly walked away from both the team and the championship.

The reasons behind Reutemann’s exit were complex, with the outbreak of the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom creating a tense political climate for an Argentine to continue racing for a British team.

Another factor contributing to his exit was the tension with the team after he had ignored team orders in Brazil in 1981, Reutemann also feeling he didn’t have the full support of the team.