Gallery: 10 major driver moves in 2018
As with any other year, several top-class racing drivers will move to new teams in 2018 - or leave a series altogether for pastures new. We've compiled a list of 10 drivers who are jumping ship this year.
Photo by: Shigenobu Yoshida
After 17 seasons in Formula 1, Jenson Button will step down from the pinnacle of motorsport to compete in Japan's Super GT series.
Button will drive a Honda NSX-GT for Team Kunimitsu alongside teammate Naoki Yamamoto.
The 2009 F1 champion is no stranger to Super GT, having taken part in the the series' flagship Suzuka 1000km race last year.
Photo by: Race of Champions
Pascal Wehrlein will return to German touring car series DTM following Sauber's decision not to retain him for the 2018 F1 season.
Wehrlein last raced in DTM in 2015, when he won the drivers' title for long-time backers Mercedes.
Photo by: Porsche Motorsport
Following Porsche's decision to withdraw from the FIA World Endurance Championship, Andre Lotterer will join privateers Rebellion Racing, which is returning to the series' premier LMP1 category.
Lotterer will also cease his involvement in Super Formula after joining the Techeetah Formula E team at the end of last season.
Photo by: Sauber
Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc will step up to F1 this year following his championship win in his rookie F2 season.
He will team up with Marcus Ericsson at the Alfa Romeo-backed Sauber team.
Photo by: Sutton Images
Sergey Sirotkin will be the second rookie on the 2018 F1 grid after Leclerc.
Sirotkin has been drafted by Williams as a replacement for the retired Felipe Massa.
The Russian beat Former F1 driver Robert Kubica in a shootout for the Williams seat.
Photo by: United Autosports
McLaren star Fernando Alonso will continue to race in F1 in 2018, but will add a full WEC programme to his schedule.
He will race for Toyota, the only remaining manufacturer in the LMP1 class, after successfully testing for the Japanese brand in Bahrain last year.
Photo by: YouTube screen grab
2017 Indycar rookie of the year Ed Jones will leave Dale Coyne Racing to join the frontrunning Chip Ganassi outfit.
He will team up with four-time series champion Scott Dixon at the Honda-powered squad.
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
Ott Tanak has replaced Juho Hanninen in Toyota's 2018 WRC roster.
He joins the Japanese manufacturer after winning two rallies for M-Sport in 2017.
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
Rising motorsport star and McLaren protege will join the Formula 2 series in 2018.
He will continue his association with Carlin, the team with which he won the European F3 title in his rookie year.
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
2017 Moto2 Franco Morbidelli will make his MotoGP this weekend in Qatar.
Morbidelli will team up with Thomas Luthi at Marc VDS, forming an all-rookie line-up at the customer Honda outfit.
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