Just a couple of days after the conclusion of Formula 1’s summer break, Williams has made the first move of the silly season by confirming that Alex Albon will stay on for sixth straight season in 2027. It’s the first of what should be a raft of announcements in the coming weeks, and while most are likely to be confirmations that drivers are staying put, the starting grid could see a few surprises. Sometimes, much-touted multi-year deals involve options that are not quite as firm as you might think.
While the Albon news is not entirely unexpected, given the close relationship between the Thai driver and his team, his continuation was not entirely guaranteed, especially in the light of what has been a difficult 2026 season. That’s why there’s still a big question mark over the future of Carlos Sainz, and whether he will judge the grass to be greener elsewhere.
After coming in fifth last year, Williams has slipped down the field, and has often been ahead only of Cadillac and Aston Martin—and the latter stepped up with its Hungary upgrade package and jumped in front again. Williams has an update package of its own for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next month, although both Albon and Sainz have suggested that it won’t be as significant as that deployed by Aston Martin.
Despite a frustrating season, Albon still has faith in the team and its boss James Vowles, and he sees a bigger picture of improvement since he joined in 2022. “I think one tough year doesn’t paint a full picture of the story that I’ve had with Williams, and I’ve seen progress year-to-year,” Albon said. “Of course, it’s been a frustrating year so far, but it doesn’t make me not believe in this team, and its ambitions, and what I believe the team can achieve.”
Peter Fox//Getty Images
The driver is adamant that this year’s struggles will ultimately benefit the team. “Even though it’s been a tough year, the response of the team back at the factory, and the work that’s been put in to understand our issues, has been huge. In many ways, it has felt like we’ve needed this tough moment to really accelerate some of the aggressive plans to fix some core problems within the car that have plagued us for years,” he said. “I haven’t seen the team sink their teeth into something so aggressively in the way they have this year, so I really do believe we’re going to find the reasons why we’ve been going through these issues.”
So where might we see changes behind the wheel in 2027? We’re not expecting any big surprises at the top four teams, with Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all set to continue with the same lineups—although there are still lingering doubts about whether Max Verstappen wants to commit to another season at RBR under the current rules. (If he decides to depart, the market will be turned on its head.)
Elsewhere, Audi’s drivers have yet to be confirmed, but sticking with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg would be the logical scenario. There’s rather less certainty at Haas, where Ollie Bearman looks secure but there are question marks over Esteban Ocon’s seat; McLaren protégé Leonardo Fornaroli has already tested for the U.S.-owned team, and has to be in the frame.
Franco Colapinto has yet to be confirmed at Alpine, but the Argentine driver’s improved form in 2026—and the commercial package that he brings—will work in his favor. That said, Fernando Alonso has been linked with a return to Alpine and his mentor Flavio Briatore for what would be his fourth stint at the Enstone camp, should he decide not to stay at Aston Martin.
NurPhoto//Getty Images
If Alonso does move (or, more likely, retire), it would leave open what could be a surprisingly attractive seat. A few weeks ago, Aston wouldn’t have appealed to any driver on the grid, but the Hungary updates showed that the team is now heading in the right direction, and it’s not hard to draw the conclusion that the 2027 Adrian Newey–Honda package will represent a much bigger step.
But big enough to attract a superstar? It’s worth noting that over the past six seasons, Lawrence Stroll has employed just two drivers as team mates to his son Lance, namely multiple world champions Sebastian Vettel and Alonso. He would want to replace the latter with a proven winner, and it’s a limited list—and one could speculate that Sainz is one of the few potentially available drivers who might fit the bill.
As ever, anything can happen at Racing Bulls. Both current drivers are scoring well, but F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov has some momentum within the Red Bull camp. If the decision is made to promote the Bulgarian, then Liam Lawson is likely to be more vulnerable on the basis that he’s already had a chance at senior team RBR, while Arvid Lindblad is still getting better and better in what is his first season.
Finally, the obvious assumption is that Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will stay at Cadillac for another season. However, owner Dan Towriss proved when he kicked out team boss Graeme Lowdon that he wants to see progress made sooner rather than later; he may decide that having gone through the growing pains of the first season with two veterans, it’s time to put a young superstar in the car to spice things up.