While not many spots are open for the 2026 Formula 1 season, the bulk of the attention lies on Max Verstappen’s future and Cadillac’s first driver lineup.
Looking at next season’s driver lineup from top to bottom, it should stay largely the same aside from Cadillac’s entrance to the grid.
But what about 2027? Here are our early predictions, as of the 2025 summer break, in order of the current constructor standings.
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
McLaren have been at the top of Formula 1 since the middle of last season and have never looked back. They boast having two number one drivers and have reaped success, so far highlighted with a world championship battle between the two.
The tension between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is comparable to the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during the 2016 season. This season is bound to end in a fight, and the driver who loses will look to claim the title in 2026.
Both Norris and Piastri are under contract at McLaren through the 2027 season and will not see much reason to depart the team, especially under the expectation that McLaren will be the best team heading into the next era of regulations. The only way either driver departs is if the tension becomes too great and McLaren cannot maintain the civility between the pair, which may not happen heading into 2027.