The 2026 summer break has given us a proper glimpse into what the driver market could look like for 2027, and honestly, it's shaping up to be a fascinating puzzle. Max Verstappen holds all the power with a release clause in his Red Bull contract, and while there's been plenty of chatter about him potentially moving elsewhere, it's looking increasingly likely he'll stay put at Milton Keynes. The thing is, Verstappen wants genuine assurances that Red Bull can deliver him a championship challenge next year, otherwise he's genuinely considering stepping away from F1 entirely rather than hanging around to be a mid-grid driver.

More F1 news: Gerhard Berger Thrilled by Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari Comeback: 'It's Been Very Difficult'

Over at Mercedes, George Russell has secured his future with a performance-based contract extension that keeps him alongside Andrea Kimi Antonelli for 2027. Russell had been a bit of a wildcard earlier in the season, but he's now locked in and the Merc driver pairing looks set. Ferrari, meanwhile, have their lineup sorted with Lewis Hamilton staying put despite initial questions about his multi-year deal, and Charles Leclerc just signed a monster new contract that'll keep him at Maranello beyond 2030. The Monegasque is now pulling in around 50 million euros a season, while Hamilton commands a cool 60 million euros annually.

More F1 news: Max Verstappen's Exit Strategy: Release Clauses Could Let Him Walk From Red Bull by End of 2026

McLaren are sticking with Lando Norris, who's also the 2025 F1 champion, and Oscar Piastri despite all that mad speculation about a Verstappen seat swap. Both drivers are locked in through at least 2027, and the team's completely dismissed any talk of Piastri heading elsewhere. It's the established front-running teams that look sorted, which actually leaves Verstappen with limited options if he wanted to jump ship anyway. Red Bull are planning to pair him with Isack Hadjar for another go, with the Frenchman having impressed in the second car lately.

More F1 news: Hamilton Grades His Ferrari 2026, Leclerc Opens Up on Verstappen Partnership

The wildcard in all this is Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard's contract with Williams expires at the end of 2026, and while he's got options to extend his deal at Grove, he's reportedly grown frustrated with his current setup. That's left several teams circling, making Sainz one of the few genuine free agents who could shake things up. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso also hits the open market, though at his stage he's got the option to hang around Aston Martin as a driver or move into an ambassador role.

Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch  •  Lando Norris merch  •  Oscar Piastri merch  •  Charles Leclerc merch  •  Lewis Hamilton merch  •  George Russell merch  •  Kimi Antonelli merch  •  Fernando Alonso merch  •  Carlos Sainz merch  •  McLaren merch  •  Scuderia Ferrari merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  Mercedes-AMG merch  •  Aston Martin merch  •  Williams Racing merch