What will the Formula 1 grid look like in 2027? According to The-Race.com, there will not be a massive revolution in terms of overall structure, but one major absence would inevitably make headlines: Max Verstappen.
A sabbatical year for Max Verstappen?
According to the British outlet, the Dutch driver could be free to leave the contract that currently ties him to 0, especially if he is not in a leading position in the Drivers’ Championship by the time the season reaches the summer break.
In that scenario, Verstappen would struggle to find a seat at a top team, as the line-ups at Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are all secured by long-term contracts. As a result, the most realistic option could be a sabbatical year, potentially dedicated to endurance racing and other motorsport commitments outside Formula 1.
Alongside Verstappen, The Race’s projection also excludes another current F1 driver from the 2027 grid: Franco Colapinto, although for very different reasons related to performance levels rather than contractual or strategic decisions.
With both Verstappen and Colapinto removed from the equation, two seats open up on the grid, although one of them would be filled by a familiar name returning to the sport.
Predicted driver market movements for 2027
The driver market scenario imagined by The Race includes several notable switches across the grid. Alexander Albon is projected to move to Alpine, while Esteban Ocon would take a seat at Williams.
In turn, Haas would replace the French driver with Yuki Tsunoda, a move also seen as aligned with the team’s technical partnership with Toyota.
With Verstappen absent, Red Bull would reportedly turn to its junior programme while waiting for a potential top-tier signing for 2028. In this scenario, Arvid Lindblad would be promoted to the main Red Bull team, while Nikola Tsolov would join Liam Lawson at Racing Bulls, completing a reshuffled but development-focused line-up across the Milton Keynes organisation.
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