The 2023 F1 driver lineup is suddenly a lot clearer Here is what we know and what is still rumored

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Max Verstappen (1), Sergio Perez (2)

2023 drivers under contract: Verstappen, Perez

What we know: Both drivers are under contract for the 2023 season. Verstappen, the now-2-time defending F1 champion, signed an extension in March that will keep him with Red Bull at least through the 2028 season. In May, the team announced a new extension for Perez to keep him with the team through 2024.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Charles Leclerc (3), Carlos Sainz (5)

2023 drivers under contract: Leclerc, Sainz

What we know: Both drivers are under contract for the 2023 season. Sainz signed an extension in April to keep him with Ferrari through the 2024 season. Leclerc is also under contract through the 2024 season.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): George Russell (4), Lewis Hamilton (6)

2023 drivers under contract: Russell, Hamilton

What we know: Hamilton is under contract through the 2023 season, having signed a two-year extension during the 2021 season. Russell, in his first season with Mercedes, is signed through 2024.

One intriguing rumor that is making its way around the garages, according to F1TV, is Daniel Ricciardo potentially signing with Mercedes as a backup driver for next season.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Esteban Ocon (8), Fernando Alonso (9)

2023 drivers under contract: Ocon, Pierre Gasly

What we know: Ocon is under contract with Alpine through the 2024 season. Alonso announced that he will drive for Aston Martin in 2023 to replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel.

In Japan, Alpine announced its second seat would go to Pierre Gasly after buying out his contract from AlphaTauri. This gives the French team a pair of French drivers.

Before landing Gasly, both Alpine and McLaren claimed to have prospect Oscar Piastri under contract for next season, but F1 officials ruled in favor of McLaren. According to Sky Sports, Alpine may have missed a deadline to activate a clause that would have kept him under contract for 2023.

Initial rumors had Alpine reuniting with Daniel Ricciardo in an indirect driver swap. Mick Schumacher and Alpine junior driver Jack Doohan had also been mentioned.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Lando Norris (7), Daniel Ricciardo (12)

2023 drivers under contract: Norris, Oscar Piastri

What we know: Norris signed an extension earlier this year that will keep him with McLaren through at least 2025.

Over the summer break, the expected divorce between Ricciardo and McLaren became official, opening the seat for Oscar Piastri now that F1 officials ruled that McLaren's contract was valid.

Ricciardo confirmed in Japan that he won't be racing in F1 next season, with an eye to returning in 2024. According to F1TV, one rumor in the garage area is that Ricciardo could sign with Mercedes as a backup driver for next season.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Valtteri Bottas (10), Zhou Guanyu (18)

2023 drivers under contract: Bottas, Zhou

What we know: Bottas, in his first year with Alfa Romeo, is under contract for 2023, and both sides seem happy with the move. The team also announced an extension for Zhou before the Singapore race, confirming that he will remain with the team next season.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Sebastian Vettel (11), Lance Stroll (15)

2023 drivers under contract: Stroll, Fernando Alonso

What we know: Aston Martin announced during the summer break that two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso would replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel next season under a multi-year contract. Lance Stroll is under contract through 2023, and as long as his dad continues to write the checks, he will be with the team longer than that.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Kevin Magnussen (14), Mick Schumacher (16)

2023 drivers under contract: Magnussen

What we know: Magnussen is under contract for the 2023 season, having signed with the team on the eve of the schedule to replace Nikita Mazepin. Schumacher is not signed for next season.

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said the team would decide on Schumacher's future during the summer break. However, German outlet RTL reported that Steiner called off negotiations with Schumacher.

With Aston Martin picking Fernando Alonso over Schumacher — Sebastian Vettel's choice of replacement — the youngster is in danger of being out of F1 in 2023. However, his recent form has raised his status with the team, and according to Lawrence Barretto, Schumacher now has a shot at remaining with Haas.

Barretto said earlier in the season that former F1 drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Antonio Giovinazzi "are very much in the mix." However, he now hears that Hulkenberg is the most likely candidate if the team splits from Schumacher. Hulkenberg is currently Aston Martin's reserve driver.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Pierre Gasly (13), Yuki Tsunoda (17)

2023 drivers under contract: Tsunoda, Nyck de Vries

What we know: Tsunoda was recently signed to a contract extension and will remain with the team in 2023.

Before the Japanese Grand Prix, the team confirmed the expected move of Pierre Gasly to Alpine and announced that former F2 and Formula E champ Nyck de Vries would be his replacement.

2022 lineup (current championship standing): Alex Albon (19), Nicholas Latifi (20)

2023 drivers under contract: Albon

What we know: Williams announced that Albon signed a multi-year extension to remain with the team, as expected. The team also announced that Latifi would not be back next season. His qualifying and race performance at the Italian Grand Prix — behind backup driver Nyck de Vries, who was subbing for Albon — certainly sealed that fate if it wasn't already.

De Vries seemed like the frontrunner to replace Latifi after his strong performance at Monza, but he chose AlphaTauri instead.

The backup plan appeared to be American Logan Sargeant, who is third in the F2 standings and a member of the Williams Driver Academy. However, Mick Schumacher has emerged as a strong candidate, with team boss Jost Capito confirming the Haas driver is an option and saying he deserves to remain in F1.

That might move Sargeant down to Plan C. To even have a shot, he needs to make sure he finishes at least fifth in the F2 season with two races to go to earn his Super License.