Driver market looks frozen solid for 2027: Long contracts, no vacancies

Formula 1’s driver market is shaping up as unusually settled for 2027 after Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull contract runs through the end of 2030. The announcement, made ahead of the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, removes the biggest uncertainty heading into 2027 and helps dampen the so-called “silly season” ripple effect that can spread across the grid. The leading top teams are already locked in: McLaren has Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Ferrari extended Charles Leclerc, and Mercedes has George Russell plus 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli. Williams secured Alex Albon’s 2027 extension and Carlos Sainz’s new deal. The main remaining question mark centers on Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin.