The F1 driver market is in total chaos right now, with a staggering 12 seats still up for grabs on the 2027 grid. And the biggest question mark of all? Four-time champion Max Verstappen hasn’t made up his mind yet.
The 28-year-old Dutch superstar is reportedly weighing his options as a contract exit clause kicks in. He wants to know if Red Bull can deliver a winning car from 2027 onward—and if not, he could be looking at Mercedes or McLaren.
With only 10 of 22 seats officially locked in, the silly season is shaping up to be one for the history books. Just this week, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both signed new deals at Williams, but that barely made a dent in the massive list of open spots.
McLaren is set with reigning champ Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—though sources claim that could change if Verstappen comes knocking. Ferrari is solid with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both under long-term contracts. Newcomer Cadillac has Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez confirmed, but even those deals aren’t ironclad.
That leaves only four other drivers who are 100% locked in for 2027: Pierre Gasly at Alpine, Albon and Sainz at Williams, and Verstappen at Red Bull. But here’s the twist—Verstappen’s exit clause means his seat is anything but guaranteed.
The real 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒶? Verstappen reportedly doesn’t have to decide until October. That’s painfully late for everyone else waiting to make moves.
Meanwhile, two-time champ Fernando Alonso is also mulling retirement at age 45, with rumors linking him to Alpine.
Carlos Sainz is another name swirling in the rumor mill—reportedly in talks with Audi and even Red Bull as a potential Verstappen replacement, while also negotiating a one-year extension at Williams.
With so many seats still open, the paddock is buzzing ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort next weekend. Some announcements could come soon, but until Verstappen picks a team, is anything really settled?
