After the Verstappen bombshell: the final question marks over the 2027 starting grid

Formula 1’s ‘silly season’ – when the most far-fetched transfer rumours are bandied about in the sport’s top flight – has just become a little less far-fetched: on 20 August, Red Bull Racing confirmed that Max Verstappen will remain loyal to the Milton Keynes-based team until the end of 2030.

This has numerous implications for the 2027 Formula 1 starting grid and beyond. Ultimately, there will be far fewer changes from 2026 to 2027 than we have been led to believe in recent months. Join us on a virtual tour of the grid (in the order of the current Constructors’ Championship standings).

Mercedes – Team principal Toto Wolff has repeatedly stated that Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will continue to drive for the team in 2027. And that is exactly how it will be.

Ferrari – Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are confirmed. Nothing will change at Ferrari.

McLaren – Company CEO Zak Brown has stated that he sees no reason to change the Norris/Piastri driver line-up. The rumour of Verstappen replacing Piastri at McLaren has come to nothing.

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: Aprilia comeback? The truth is: Aprilia never went away!

Four weeks ago, Aprilia headed into the summer break from Germany with a badly injured Marco Bezzecchi. The response came from the heart of British motor racing: ‘Together we are strong!’

Thomas Kuttruf

Read more

TV program

Tomorrow

Zandvoort: 1. Freies Training

FIA Formula One World Championship

21.08.2026 - 12:15

Red Bull Racing – Max Verstappen has signed an early contract extension with Red Bull Racing. And team principal Laurent Mekies already hinted at the Hungaroring as to who his team-mate will be in 2027: Parisian Isack Hadjar.

Racing Bulls – Red Bull’s second team still has a ‘luxury problem’. In Formula 2, Bulgarian driver Nikola Tsolov is pushing for promotion to the top flight with some strong performances. However, 19-year-old Arvid Lindblad is holding his own against New Zealander Liam Lawson in his first GP season. And Lawson has finished in the top ten in eight races in 2026. Replacing him with Tsolov wouldn’t feel right.

Alpine – Pierre Gasly is under contract until the end of 2028. A return by Fernando Alonso to the Enstone-based team is out of the question; the Spaniard has put a stop to such rumours. Franco Colapinto is on probation. He has improved in 2026 compared to Gasly, but still makes too many mistakes. However, Alpine will not find a better alternative in terms of speed and financial backing.

Haas – The contracts with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman are both expiring. It looks as though Ocon will be leaving, whilst Ferrari intends to continue developing the young Bearman at Haas. A possible successor to Ocon: another Ferrari junior, Formula 2 driver Rafael Camara from Brazil. But it is also conceivable that McLaren reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli could join Haas. An outsider is Haas reserve driver Jack Doohan.

Audi – No changes for the Silver Arrows; Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will remain in the line-up for 2027.

Williams – The long-established British team confirmed shortly before the Dutch Grand Prix that Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are staying on.

Aston Martin – Before the summer break, Fernando Alonso stated that he sees his future with the Greens and that he has a multi-year contract with the Silverstone-based team. “I’ll still be here in 2027.” However, that does not necessarily mean he will be racing in Grand Prix events. Alonso wants to see progress and has doubts about continuing because he finds the current generation of racing cars rather uninspiring. Aston Martin’s problem: there is no driver of anywhere near Alonso’s calibre available. Lance Stroll is, so to speak, part of the furniture and will stay.

Cadillac – The GP veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez are tied to multi-year contracts. During this learning phase for the team, it makes little sense to put a young driver in the car for 2027. Former IndyCar star Colton Herta is making too little of an impression in Formula 2 to be in contention for a promotion. Rumour has it that the new Cadillac boss, Marcin Budkowski, has put out feelers for F2 talent Rafael Camara.