Which of these five axed F1 drivers has the best chance of returning?

Several drivers lost their F1 seats either during - or at the end - of the 2024 season, but do any of them have a chance of returning to the grid?

While some have conceded their F1 careers are probably over, others have not given up on the idea of securing a full-time return in 2026.

Plenty of seats are up for grabs when F1’s new era of regulations begins, including two additional drives that will open up at the sport’s 11th team.

But which drivers are most likely to complete a comeback? We’ve assessed the chances of five drivers pushed to the sidelines…

Valtteri Bottas

Out of the drivers to miss out on F1 seats for 2025, Valtteri Bottas is in the strongest position to pull off a return to the grid.

Securing a reserve driver role at Mercedes means the 35-year-old Finn will be on standby to replace either George Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonelli if either of them were to be ruled out of a grand prix weekend during the season.

Other than waiting for a driver to slip up this year, Bottas could also find an F1 lifeline at Cadillac when the American outfit joins the grid in 2026. If Cadillac are seeking an experienced driver to fill one of their seats then they should look no further than the 10-time grand prix winner.

Bottas, who now has experience of how three teams work as well as being part of a championship-winning outfit at the height of Mercedes’ F1 dominance, has already signalled that he is interested in the project.

Likelihood of return: 8/10

Sergio Perez

After being dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2024, Sergio Perez has announced what is effectively a six-month sabbatical from racing while he considers his future.

Speaking publicly for the first time since losing his seat, Perez indicated that an “interesting project” could tempt him back to F1. Could that be alluding to Cadillac?

Much like Bottas, Perez would provide Cadillac with an experienced driver option who has won multiple races and boasts a wealth of knowledge from several different teams, including being part of back-to-back constructors’ championship triumphs at Red Bull.

The 34-year-old Mexican would surely be one of the obvious candidates at the top of Cadillac’s shortlist. Perez’s reputation nosedived during an abysmal 2024 campaign in which he was destroyed by Max Verstappen, but he remains a very good F1 driver.

In a less-pressured environment, Perez might just thrive and rediscover his mojo that got him a Red Bull seat in the first place.

Likelihood of return: 7/10

Zhou Guanyu

Bottas’s 2024 teammate Zhou Guanyu also lost his seat as Sauber opted for a complete refresh ahead of their 2026 transformation into Audi.

The Chinese racer, who scored all of Sauber’s four points last term thanks to an eighth-place finish in Qatar, told Crash.net of his desire to return to the grid in 2026. Zhou has no plans to race elsewhere in 2025 and hopes to secure a reserve driver role with the goal of earning a full-time drive for next year.

Zhou’s chances are realistically fairly slim however two extra openings at Cadillac offer fresh opportunities, particularly as he has a potential ‘in’ with the American squad though his manager, Graeme Lowdon, who has been appointed as team principal.

Zhou’s connection with Lowdon may boost his chances slightly, but one imagines the likes of Bottas, Perez and maybe even Daniel Ricciardo (who we will come on to shortly) may be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Likelihood of return: 5/10

Kevin Magnussen

After being dropped by Haas for the second time following a three-year comeback, Kevin Magnussen’s F1 career looks to be over.

The Dane’s experience of racing for an American team for most of his F1 career and being a solid midfield points scorer may appeal to Cadillac as a potential option for 2026, but otherwise it is hard to see where he could land.

Magnussen has already secured a 2025 racing programme and will be part of BMW’s World Endurance Championship driver line-up, as well as contesting three rounds in the IMSA Sportscar Championship.

Magnussen is at peace with his F1 exit and knows the lack of a gruelling 24-race schedule will allow him to spend more precious time with his young family. It feels like this farewell could be permanent.

Likelihood of return: 4/10

Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo suffered a rather brutal mid-season axing after the Singapore Grand Prix, and the manner of his exit from Red Bull's sister team left fans angered that he didn’t get a send-off fitting of his contribution to F1.

The 35-year-old Australian’s name continues to be linked with Cadillac but according to ESPN, Ricciardo has no interest in returning to F1 with the team in 2026. That aligns with Ricciardo’s own comments in Singapore, which strongly hinted that he considers this to be the end of the road for his grand prix career.

After a bruising final few years in F1, Ricciardo’s reputation has taken some devastating blows. Prior to his last comeback, Ricciardo made it clear he would only return if there was a prospect of driving for a front-running team. That opportunity appears to have slipped him by.

Never say never, but it feels like we’ve seen the last of Ricciardo in F1.

Likelihood of return: 3/10