In his career he has competed for the Minardi, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine and Aston Martin teams in Formula 1, with the Maranello team being his team from 2010 to 2014, where he achieved his three runner-up finishes and a Grand Chelem. He left Ferrari and in 2015 returned to McLaren-Honda until retirement in 2018. After two years out of the category, in 2021 he returned to the Alpine team, part of the Renault family, with which he won both of his championships. Since 2023 he has been part of the Aston Martin team replacing Sebastian Vettel.

In addition to competing in the top category, he has driven in the 2017, 2019 and 2020 Indianapolis 500 with McLaren, leading the race and being voted rookie of the year in his first participation, at the 2018 24 Hours of Daytona with a Ligier for United Autosports, at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona with a Cadillac for Wayne Taylor Racing, and in the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship and the 2020 Dakar Rally for Toyota Gazoo Racing.