On paper, the news Racing Bulls will keep both Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad for next season leaves just one spot to be confirmed, but there’s still the possibility of a change in one other seat on the grid…
So what’s up for grabs in that one spot yet to be confirmed?
A seat at American squad Haas. Ollie Bearman is the incumbent and is going to be in it next year – they just haven’t nailed down the details of the contract.
The Briton and Ferrari junior is in his second full season with Haas and currently sits in 13th place in the drivers’ standings on 23 points.
He’s levelled up in his second campaign, both in terms of Qualifying pace and racecraft – with the 21-year-old pulling off some particularly impressive overtakes.
Haas certainly want to keep him – so it’s just a case of his management, Haas boss Ayao Komatsu and Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur coming to an agreement.
While it is a no-brainer for all parties to continue, the terms of the deal are important as Bearman will know that if Lewis Hamilton keeps delivering, he won’t be leaving Ferrari anytime soon and that means there’s no space for the Briton to move up.
And while Haas is a great place to be for Bearman for now – and his full focus is taking the team forward and helping them achieve the first podium in their history – he also knows he can’t stay there forever if he wants to progress his career.
Watch this space, but it’s certainly a case of when, not if, a deal is done for 2027.
Okay, that finalises the grid – so what’s this about a possible change?
Well, this is where we turn our attention to Cadillac. When Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas signed with the newcomers ahead of this campaign, they both agreed multi-year deals.
These multi-year deals had options which needed triggering to confirm the second season in 2027.
Ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Cadillac announced Perez had signed an extended deal keeping him at the team until at least the end of 2029.
A subsequent announcement about Bottas has yet to be released, with the team’s American reserve driver Colton Herta linked with the seat that would offer him his F1 debut.
Herta has struggled in F2 and sits 19th in the standings, but the 26-year-old has impressed when behind the wheel of a Cadillac in FP1 sessions and the American team are keen to run an American driver on merit.
By taking part in the opening practice session in Brazil, Herta secured the final point needed for his Super Licence, clearing the way for a potential F1 drive.
Cadillac now have to decide whether they want to give him a debut next year or stick with 37-year-old 10-time Grand Prix winner Bottas alongside Perez.
What about one-time Grand Prix winner Esteban Ocon?
Given Haas are set to sign Bearman and Cadillac will have Bottas or Herta, it means there is no space on the grid for Ocon, who made his F1 debut back in 2016.
Earlier this month, Haas announced that Ocon would not complete the season with the team, which he was set to leave at the end of the year anyway.
Ocon – who has won one Grand Prix, taken four podiums and scored 490 points in 198 starts – has unfinished business with F1 and wants to find a way back in.
Initially, that will have to be a reserve role at best and with his experience in F1, it’s believed he does have options for 2027.