Updated 2027 Formula 1 driver lineup, after Racing Bulls announcement

The 2027 Formula 1 driver lineup is slowly but surely coming together, and in year number two following the major regulations overhaul that followed the 2025 campaign, the grid is expected to look very similar to how it looked in 2026.

Racing Bulls became the latest team to lock in their driver lineup for next year, confirming that both Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad are set to be back for another season, amid rumors that one of them could be dropped for Nikola Tsolov.

Isack Hadjar had already been confirmed to be returning to the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, so with Lawson and Lindblad both out of the running for an effective promotion, the question was whether the Red Bull sister team would maintain the status quo or promote another one of their junior drivers. They opted for the former, and for good reason.

The announcement followed the recent confirmation that Esteban Ocon would not be back at Haas next year, with Rafael Camara set to replace him. In fact, Ocon and Haas have already parted ways, and Camara made his Formula 1 debut this past weekend in Sao Paulo, after Ryo Hirakawa did the same in Mexico City just one week prior.

Haas' news was the first of a true driver change for next season. Here's a look at the updated 22-car grid for 2027.

Updated Formula 1 driver lineup for 2027

The second Haas seat is expected to go to Ollie Bearman, meaning there would be no further changes. Bearman doesn't yet have a contract to compete beyond 2026, but it is expected that he won't be going anywhere unless a Ferrari seat opens up. He has long been rumored to be a top candidate to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton once Hamilton retires.

The two Aston Martin seats currently belong to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Alonso retired eight years ago (yes, really) and is now in his sixth season since unretiring, so the big question is whether he really wants to continue competing for a team that has shown no sign of being competitive under the new regulations.

As for Stroll, it's long been believed that the seat is his for as long as he wants it, with father Lawrence Stroll being the team owner. But he took has been linked to a potential team management role in recent years, so it seems to be more a matter of timing than anything.

Then there is the second Cadillac seat. Valtteri Bottas has a contract that runs through 2027, but it is believed that the team would like Colton Herta to replace him a year early after Herta was finally able to secure his FIA Super Licence.

It raises an interesting point about contracts, and it's a point we're all familiar with by now: just because a driver has a contract that runs through a certain season doesn't mean there aren't options or clauses in said contract that would allow a team to make a change sooner.

With that in mind, could we still see other changes on the grid from now until the start of the 2027 season? Is Franco Colapinto's Alpine seat truly safe? Are Audi really content to move forward with their current driver pairing for another season together?

All things considered, it's highly unlikely that, by the time the start of the 2027 season rolls around, there will have been more than two or three lineup changes. As of now, there's only been one, and it's a change that has quite literally already gone into effect, due to Haas dropping Ocon early.

Three races remain on the 23-race 2026 Formula 1 schedule, the first being the Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit on Saturday, November 21. Live coverage is set to be provided by Apple TV beginning at 10:55 p.m. ET.

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