The 2027 grid according to The Race: Verstappen and Colapinto out, Tsunoda returns and Tsolov makes his debut

Gap year for Max? What will the starting grid of F1 2027 be like? According to The-Race.com there will be no big news, but an absence will only make noise. We are obviously talking about Max Verstappen, who will be free to leave the contract that binds him to Red Bull because, unless there are sensational changes, he will not be in first or second position in the Drivers’ World Championship when the season reaches the summer. The Dutchman is unlikely to find space in a top team because all the seats at Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are bound by long-term contracts and therefore for Verstappen the hypothesis of a ‘sabbatical’ year to be dedicated to endurance racing would be the most likely. In addition to Verstappen, the other driver currently at the start who will not be included in the 22 drivers entered for the 2027 World Championship is Franco Colapinto, obviously for different reasons, namely poor performances. Without Verstappen and Colapinto, two places would become free, but one would be filled by an old acquaintance. The ‘steering wheel game’ hypothesized by The-Race involves the passage of Alexander Albon to Alpine and Esteban Ocon to Williams, with Haas replacing the Frenchman with Yuki Tsunoda, a move in favor of partner Toyota. Without Verstappen, Red Bull, waiting to be able to try to sign a top driver for 2028, would resort to the youth system with Arvid Lindblad promoted to Red Bull and Nikola Tsolov alongside Liam Lawson in Racing Bulls.