The Formula 1 grid is about to go through some serious changes. With just 12 races left in the 2026 season, up to 11 drivers have contracts expiring at year's end, and the paddock is already buzzing with transfer speculation. Some of the sport's biggest names could be moving seats, and Express Sport has taken a stab at predicting what next year's grid might look like based on current negotiations and driver statements.

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Let's start with the moves that seem most certain. At McLaren, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri look nailed on to stay put, given their recent form and the team's success. Over at Mercedes, George Russell has publicly committed to staying despite his deal running out, while young gun Kimi Antonelli is expected to remain as well, with Team Principal Toto Wolff unlikely to let the rising star slip away. Red Bull is keeping Max Verstappen locked in through 2030, but they're eyeing up Liam Lawson for a promotion to the main squad, replacing whoever ends up leaving.

The juiciest move involves Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton could actually retire if he wins that record-breaking eighth world championship title this season, which would force Ferrari to find a replacement. Oliver Bearman, who's coming from Haas and has strong ties to the Ferrari Driver Academy, is being tipped as the obvious choice. Charles Leclerc signed a long-term deal recently and isn't going anywhere. Williams have sorted themselves out with Carlos Sainz penning a new contract, while Alex Albon is locked in through 2027.

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The lower end of the grid gets interesting too. Racing Bulls would see Lawson move up to Red Bull, so they'd need to fill that seat. The predictions suggest Nikola Tsolov, who's leading the F2 standings, could get promoted alongside Arvid Lindblad, who's settled in nicely during his rookie campaign. Fernando Alonso's future at another team remains a big question mark, though he's one of the names expected to make a move during the offseason.

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It's all speculation at this point, but with more than a third of the grid up for grabs, the next few months should deliver some proper drama. Driver contracts ending simultaneously always shakes things up, and 2027 could bring some genuinely unexpected pairings by the time the season kicks off.

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