08 - 2027 Pre-Season: Driver Lineups!

The 2027 season is almost here, and now it is time to dive into the driver market.

In 2026, many drivers were in their final contract year, so we were bound to see some shakeups on the roster, and boy did it deliver! We've got a couple of bombshells, buyouts, rookies .. you name it.

So without further ado, lets dive in! Starting with last year's bottom team, working our way up from there. In the brackets behind each driver is the final year of his contract.

HAAS

Logan Sargeant (2028) / Liam Lawson (2030)

Yet another rookie has gone through a one and done with Haas, with Fittipaldi not getting a renewal of his rookie contract, unsurprisingly. Haas has gone with another rookie, yet again, signing Liam Lawson. Difference this time around is that they've committed to Lawson through 2030, so they surely see some potential in the young man. Sargeant returns for another year, the penultimate year on his contract.

ALPINE

Daniel Ricciardo (Final Year) / Guanyu Zhou (Final Year)

Russell is gone, and in comes .. Daniel Ricciardo!? A welcome sight to see his friendly face back on the grid after a 2 year break. However, he is now 37 year old and might not be as sharp as he used to be in the past. Alpine has gone a conservative route with him, signing him on a 1 year contract. Zhou returns for his final contract year.

AUDI (Previously Stake Sauber)

Theo Pourchaire (2028) / Kevin Magnussen (2028)

For the first year as a full on works team, Audi keeps the status quo, with Pourchaire and Magnussen. Kevin is surely on the late stages of his career, but they have a very promising driver in Pourchaire. Both are contracted through the 2028 season, and surely it will be a priority for Audi to extend Pourchaire to remain a Audi driver. The team now has significantly better funding and some of their facilities have been seen some overhaul, so maybe they can start turning their luck around, starting now!

MERCEDES

Max Verstappen (2030) / Valtteri Bottas (Final Year)

Now here we have the first bombshell: Multiple champion Max Verstappen, has left on a multi year contract to Mercedes! This obviously comes as a huge shock to the paddock, as not only did Mercedes have a torrid season last year, but Max was also contracted through 2028 with Red Bull. No one knows at this time what actually happened, and why he chose Mercedes, but it is known that Max's camp has not been the happiest with Horner, and Toto has been very public in his recruitment of the Flying Dutchman. Lets hope for Max's sake that Mercedes have managed to pull themselves together and can provide him with a good car. Bottas remains, and is now on his last year of his Mercedes contract. Will this be our last year of Bottas in F1?

VISA CASHAPP RB

Yuki Tsunoda (2028) / Antonio Giovinazzi (2028)

VCARB returns with the same lineup, and both drivers contracted through 2028, so we're unlikely to see a change to the lineup on the next couple of seasons. Gio's F1 return has proved to be a longer endeavor then most expected, after getting his second chance in F1 when Atlantic Racing signed him on for 2024. Yuki was overlooked yet again at Red Bull, so it would be unsurprising to see him start looking for opportunities outside the Red Bull family once his tenure at VCARB comes to an end. He's a quick driver who surely wouldn't have troubles finding a seat somewhere else.

WILLIAMS

Alexander Albon (2029) / Esteban Ocon (2028)

Albon and Ocon return for their 3rd year together as teammates. Williams has been on a steady upwards trajectory, hoping to continue that trend in 2027. If they provide a capable car, the duo of Albon and Ocon could score great points for Williams!

ASTON MARTIN

Pierre Gasly (2028) / George Russell (2030)

We all know that Aston Martin has deep pockets, and they have reached in there yet again to sign the talent they want. The time has come now where Lance Stroll moves on from his father's team, and in his place Aston Martin signed George Russell from Alpine. They must've had to pay premium, since Russell was contracted through 2027 with Alpine. He pairs up with Gasly for a rather strong lineup. Aston had a strong second half of 2026, and if they can build on that and continue to improve in 2027, they could prove to be a threat.

ATLANTIC RACING

Oliver Bearman (Final Year) / Ayumu Iwasa (Final Year)

I won't keep this long as we've already discussed our team's driver situation in a previous post. Both are on their final contract year, so anything can happen! This will be a crucial season for Bearman especially, to prove his worth, after a rather disappointing tenure in F1 so far.

FERRARI

Lance Stroll (2028) / Charles Leclerc (2030)

Here we have another bombshell. Lewis Hamilton is out, and in comes .. Lance Stroll? On a 2 year contract? The Maranello outfit surely has made a peculiar decision here, but hopefully it works out well for them. Leclerc has been extended on a multi year contract through 2030, so as most expected, he's not going anywhere.

RED BULL

Oscar Piastri (2030) / Frederik Vesti (2028)

Now here we've got another bombshell in this insane driver market: Reigning Champion, Oscar Piastri, has opted to sign for Red Bull on a contract through 2030! Red Bull lose one champion, but gain another in this bonkers series of events. But Sainz is also out, despite his previous contract being through 2027, and Red Bull are taking a gamble on a rookie, Frederik Vesti. Quite a drastic change happening over at Red Bull. Perhaps they're setting themselves up for the future, getting one of the most exciting drivers in the sport, and now a champion, along with a intriguing rookie alongside him. If the team continues to bring a top level car to the fight, they're sure to be well set for the next years.

MCLAREN

Carlos Sainz (2030) / Lando Norris (2030)

Lando Norris has signed a new contract with McLaren through 2030. He does not have to worry anymore about playing second fiddle to Oscar, but is now reunited with his friend Carlos Sainz, who returns to McLaren, also on a contract through 2030. We're seeing one of F1's favorite bromances rekindled! Sainz is coming off a strong season with Red Bull, so the pressure is on for Lando to prove his worth and try to cement himself as the lead driver of the Papaya!

RETIREMENTS AND OTHER NEWS

Two drivers have officially announced their retirement. After being without a seat for the past 2 years, Nico Hulkenberg has decided to call it quits and retire from Formula 1. He's had a successful career, but unfortunately he didn't manage to score that long awaited podium. I'm sure he'll find peace in it, likely pursuing other motorsport disciplines.

The big name is Fernando Alonso, who also has retired after a 2 year stint at Mercedes. It doesn't come as a surprise as he's now 45 years old, and ready to close his Formula 1 chapter. Certainly one of the all-time greats of the sport, and his presence will be greatly missed.

Not a retirement, but Sir Lewis Hamilton, 7 time world champion, is not on the grid! He didn't re-sign with Ferrari, and remains a free agent at this time. Perhaps he's debating his retirement, or just wants to take a break. Time will tell, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him announce his retirement during the course of the 2027 season.

Sergio Perez remains a free agent, but his last drive in Formula 1 was the 2024 season. Not retired either, but being out of F1 this long, it grows more and more unlikely to ever see him on the grid again.

Moving on to the up and coming prospects, we kind of have another bombshell: Antonelli is still not on the grid and will be taking the fight in F2 again in 2027. He is contracted as a affiliate by Red Bull, so it is strange to see them picking up Vesti for their vacant F1 seat, while Antonelli still hangs around in F2. He still has 2 years left of his affiliate contract, but surely he will get his F1 debut before that time. Time will tell!

Other notable talents from F2 without a F1 seat are among others our previous affiliate, Ti Seok, and Maloney, the 2026 F2 champion. Maybe there will be a influx of youngsters in 2028, because one thing is certain, there is plenty of talent waiting and ready for their chance!

DRIVER MARKET HISTORY

Here is the history of the driver market since 2024:

Alot of drivers starting new chapters of their life, within and outside of Formula 1, and 2027 is looking like it'll be a banger of a season. So many stories to watch out for and hopefully a competitive grid.

More to come soon, so stick around!