Source: GPfans (2026)
Key Findings at a Glance
- → 14 open seats on the 2027 grid GPfans reports that an official F1 update lists fourteen seats still open for the 2027 season, as of August 16, 2026. [GPfans]
- → Only eight drivers have a confirmed seat locked in for 2027 Formula 1’s own social account posted this figure alongside a grid graphic showing Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Gasly, Bottas, and Perez, with many team slots marked TBC. [Formula 1 (Facebook/Instagram)]
- → Max Verstappen, 28, has an active exit clause Verstappen’s contract exit clause is now active, freeing him to weigh a move away from Red Bull to Mercedes or McLaren for 2027. [GPfans]
- → Carlos Sainz linked to Audi, Sergio Perez linked to Williams Grandprix247’s ‘Silly Season Sunday’ piece reports these two moves as the market heats up for 2027, published roughly a week before August 16, 2026. [GrandPrix247]
- → No major 2027 transfer news had broken by late July 2026 Speedweek noted that despite it being the traditional silly season window, the ‘big news’ for the 2027 season had not yet arrived as of July 28, 2026. [Speedweek]
- → Six drivers listed with contracts ending in 2026 in a December 2025 forum breakdown An Autosport forum post from December 2, 2025 catalogued which drivers were tied down beyond 2026, flagging names like Hamilton, Russell, Antonelli, Alonso, Stroll, and Sainz as out of contract at the end of 2026. [Autosport Forums]
Fourteen seats on the 2027 Formula 1 grid remain open, according to an official F1 update reported by GPfans on August 16, 2026, with Max Verstappen’s future the biggest unresolved piece of the puzzle. Only eight drivers currently hold confirmed contracts for next season, based on a Formula 1 social media graphic naming Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Gasly, Bottas, and Perez. This breakdown covers what’s confirmed, what’s rumored, and what still hangs in the air as the 2027 driver market takes shape.
1How Many Seats Are Open on the 2027 F1 Grid?
As of August 16, 2026, an official Formula 1 update reported by GPfans lists 14 seats still open on the 2027 grid. That leaves most of the 20-car field unsettled just over a year before the season starts, with Max Verstappen’s decision looming over every other move.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Open seats on 2027 grid | 14 seats | GPfans |
| Source: GPfans | ||
Fourteen open seats across roughly ten teams is an unusually high number for this stage of a season, and it signals how much the incoming 2027 rules have frozen decision-making across the paddock. Team principals appear to be waiting on Verstappen before locking in second and even first drivers, a pattern already tracked in broader early lineup forecasts for the season. Fans mapping out potential grid orders are also cross-referencing car number history to guess which numbers might move teams alongside their drivers. Until Red Bull, Mercedes, or McLaren settle their headline driver, expect the remaining seats to stay unresolved.
2Which Drivers Already Have a 2027 Seat Locked In?
Formula 1’s own social media account posted a graphic stating eight drivers already have a 2027 seat locked in, naming seven by name: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Perez. Every other seat, including several top teams, stayed marked TBC.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with confirmed 2027 seats | 8 drivers | Formula 1 (Facebook) |
| Source: Formula 1 (Facebook) | ||
Piastri’s spot stands out because his deal runs through 2028 per Autosport’s December 2025 contract tracker, giving McLaren the most settled lineup on paper alongside Norris. Hamilton’s inclusion is notable because his current Ferrari contract runs only through 2026, a detail worth comparing with the wider shifts in driver form that often shape renewal talks. Perez’s presence on the confirmed list also contradicts the Williams rumor circulating separately, showing how fluid team communication remains this early in the cycle, a tension also visible in season-by-season contract tracking for other grid regulars.
3Will Max Verstappen Leave Red Bull for 2027?
Max Verstappen, 28, has an active exit clause in his Red Bull contract as of August 2026, according to GPfans. That clause frees him to consider offers from Mercedes or McLaren for the 2027 season, though no decision has been made public, leaving Red Bull’s lineup as the single biggest unknown on the grid.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen’s age | 28 years old | GPfans |
| Teams reportedly under consideration by Verstappen | Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren teams | GPfans |
| Source: GPfans | ||
Verstappen’s situation carries weight beyond Red Bull because his exit would trigger a chain reaction across at least two other teams chasing the same seat. Mercedes and McLaren both have reason to keep a chair open, a pattern that lines up with wider career ranking debates about where a four-time champion fits on an all-time list if he changes teams mid-career. His age, 28, also puts him in the middle of a driving prime that teams weighing multi-year contracts have to factor into their planning, a point also discussed in all-time driver comparisons built around peak seasons.
4Which F1 Drivers Are Contracted Through 2027 and Beyond?
Per a December 2025 Autosport forum breakdown, Lando Norris runs through 2027, Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly through 2028, and Valtteri Bottas through 2027. Charles Leclerc is tied down for several more seasons, Sergio Perez holds a 2027-plus-one deal, and Lewis Hamilton’s contract ends in 2026.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris contract end | 2027 year | Autosport Forums |
| Oscar Piastri contract end | 2028 year | Autosport Forums |
| Charles Leclerc contract status | several more seasons text | Autosport Forums |
| Lewis Hamilton contract end | 2026 year | Autosport Forums |
| Max Verstappen contract end (per Dec 2025 forum listing) | 2028 year | Autosport Forums |
| Pierre Gasly contract end | 2028 year | Autosport Forums |
| Sergio Perez contract length | 2027 + 1 year | Autosport Forums |
| Valtteri Bottas contract end | 2027 year | Autosport Forums |
| Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto contract terms | multi-year text | Autosport Forums |
| Source: Autosport Forums | ||
The forum list also flagged Max Verstappen as contracted through 2028, which makes his newly active exit clause reported by GPfans a striking reversal of what looked settled less than a year ago. Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto both carry multi-year terms, giving Sauber a rare pocket of stability while rivals scramble, a contrast visible alongside year-by-year finishing data for both drivers. Comparing paper-length deals against real-world exit options is exactly the kind of gap tracked in teammate performance comparisons, where contract security often shifts once results come in.
5Is Carlos Sainz Moving to Audi for 2027?
GrandPrix247’s Silly Season Sunday report, published about a week before August 16, 2026, links Carlos Sainz to Audi and Sergio Perez to Williams for 2027. Neither move has been confirmed, and Perez already appeared on Formula 1’s own list of drivers with a locked seat elsewhere.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Rumored driver move: Carlos Sainz | to Audi team move | GrandPrix247 |
| Rumored driver move: Sergio Perez | to Williams team move | GrandPrix247 |
| Source: GrandPrix247 | ||
Sainz’s link to Audi would put a race winner with prior stints at Ferrari and Williams into a manufacturer project still building its grid credibility, a move that echoes broader questions raised in career trajectory comparisons across the grid. Perez’s reported interest in Williams sits awkwardly next to his name on Formula 1’s confirmed-seat graphic, highlighting how quickly rumor and official statement can contradict each other in silly season. Until either team confirms terms, both moves belong in the rumor column rather than the settled one, much like the ongoing debate covered in multi-season performance tracking for drivers changing teams.
6When Will the 2027 F1 Driver Market Heat Up?
Speedweek reported on July 28, 2026 that the traditional silly season window had passed without a major 2027 transfer announcement. Less than three weeks later, GPfans’ August 16, 2026 update showed 14 seats still open, suggesting the market is only now starting to move.
| METRIC | VALUE | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|
| Speedweek article publish date on 2027 grid uncertainty | 2026-07-28 date | Speedweek |
| Source: Speedweek | ||
The three-week gap between Speedweek’s July 28 report and GPfans’ August 16 grid update shows how fast talk can shift once one contract clause becomes public. Verstappen’s exit clause activation appears to be the trigger that moved this from quiet speculation to an active 14-seat scramble. Teams still finalizing academy pipelines, a topic covered in driver development coverage, will likely watch Red Bull’s next move closely before making their own commitments, much as researchers track race-by-race performance records to judge which drivers deserve a promotion.
Complete Data Reference
Sortable table of all verified data points. Click any column header to sort.
| Metric | Value | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open seats on 2027 grid | 14 seats | GPfans | 2026 |
| Drivers with confirmed 2027 seats | 8 drivers | Formula 1 (Facebook) | 2026 |
| Max Verstappen’s age | 28 years old | GPfans | 2026 |
| Teams reportedly under consideration by Verstappen | Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren teams | GPfans | 2026 |
| Lando Norris contract end | 2027 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Oscar Piastri contract end | 2028 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Charles Leclerc contract status | several more seasons text | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Lewis Hamilton contract end | 2026 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Max Verstappen contract end (per Dec 2025 forum listing) | 2028 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Pierre Gasly contract end | 2028 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Sergio Perez contract length | 2027 + 1 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Valtteri Bottas contract end | 2027 year | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto contract terms | multi-year text | Autosport Forums | 2025 |
| Rumored driver move: Carlos Sainz | to Audi team move | GrandPrix247 | 2026 |
| Rumored driver move: Sergio Perez | to Williams team move | GrandPrix247 | 2026 |
| Speedweek article publish date on 2027 grid uncertainty | 2026-07-28 date | Speedweek | 2026 |
Methodology
This sheet reflects reporting available through August 16, 2026. Driver moves are still in flux, several seats remain unconfirmed, and one source (Autosport Forums) predates the August 2026 report on Verstappen’s exit clause, creating a gap between an older 2028 contract listing and his newly active opt-out. Readers should treat all seat pairings beyond the eight confirmed drivers as rumor until teams issue formal statements.
- Sources consulted: 10
- Sources cited: 5
- Data range: 2025-12-02 to 2026-08-16
- Freshness: 10 current-year, 7 last-year, 0 older
- Update schedule: Quarterly
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seats are open for the 2027 F1 grid right now?
As of August 16, 2026, an official Formula 1 update reported by GPfans shows 14 seats still open on the 2027 grid. Only eight drivers hold confirmed spots according to a Formula 1 social media post naming Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Gasly, Bottas, and Perez, leaving most teams with unresolved lineups heading into the fall. [GPfans]
Will Max Verstappen leave Red Bull for the 2027 season?
Nobody knows yet, but GPfans reports that Verstappen’s contract exit clause is now active as of August 2026, giving the 28-year-old the option to move to Mercedes or McLaren. Whether Red Bull can build a car that wins races and titles under the new 2027 rules is the main factor he is weighing before deciding. [GPfans]
Which drivers already have a confirmed seat for 2027?
Formula 1’s own account posted a graphic stating that eight drivers already had a 2027 seat locked in, naming seven of them: Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton, Gasly, Bottas, and Perez. Every other seat on the grid, including several top teams, remained marked TBC as of mid-August 2026. [Formula 1 (Facebook)]
Is Carlos Sainz set to join Audi for 2027?
GrandPrix247’s Silly Season Sunday report, published about a week before August 16, 2026, links Carlos Sainz to Audi as part of the heating-up 2027 driver market. The same report ties Sergio Perez to Williams, though neither move had been formally announced by the research date, so both remain rumor rather than fact. [GrandPrix247]
Why has no major 2027 driver announcement happened yet?
Speedweek noted on July 28, 2026 that the traditional silly season window had passed without the expected transfer bombshell for 2027. Teams appear to be waiting until autumn, likely because new car rules and Verstappen’s still-open decision make early commitments risky for rivals planning their own lineups around him. [Speedweek]
Whose 2026 contracts are set to expire, opening the door for 2027 moves?
A December 2025 Autosport forum breakdown flagged Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, and Carlos Sainz as drivers whose deals ran out at the end of 2026. That list, compiled before the 2026 season even started, helped set the stage for the current scramble over 14 open seats. [Autosport Forums]
How long are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri tied to McLaren?
Per Autosport forum records from December 2025, Norris’s deal runs through 2027 while Piastri is signed through 2028. Both sit among the small group of drivers with settled futures, unlike teammates elsewhere who are still waiting to learn where, or for whom, they will race once the 2027 season starts. [Autosport Forums]
Sources & References
- GPfans. “F1 2027 Grid: The Fourteen Open Seats – Official Update Confirms Verstappen Status.” https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1089055/f1-2027-grid-the-fourteen-open-seats-official-update-confirms-verstappen-status/. Accessed 2026-08-16.
- Formula 1 (Facebook). “Only Eight Drivers Have a Confirmed Seat Locked In for 2027.” https://www.facebook.com/Formula1/posts/only-eight-drivers-have-a-confirmed-seat-locked-in-for-2027-/1359361629742059/. Accessed 2026-08-16.
- GrandPrix247. “Silly Season Sunday: Carlos Sainz to Audi, Sergio Perez to Williams as 2027 Market Heats Up.” https://www.grandprix247.com/formula-1-news/silly-season-sunday-carlos-sainz-to-audi-sergio-perez-to-williams-as-2027-market-heats-up. Accessed 2026-08-16.
- Speedweek. “The 2027 Formula 1 Starting Grid: Will the Transfer Bombshell Only Drop in the Autumn?.” https://www.speedweek.com/en/a/formula-1/the-2027-formula-1-starting-grid-will-the-transfer-bombshell-only-drop-in-the-autumn-. Accessed 2026-08-16.
- Autosport Forums. “F1 Silly Season 2027.” https://forums.autosport.com/topic/229188-f1-silly-season-2027/. Accessed 2026-08-16.
Last updated: August 16, 2026
