The pieces of the complex puzzle that it is the 2017 F1 grid are beginning to fall into place.
As we near September, typically decision time for the teams, the futures of big names such as Jenson Button, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are all uncertain.
This year’s relative ‘silly season’ is more intense than ever, as established names seek to avoid demotion or a premature retirement, young stars look to take the next step and those on fringes seek to break into the top echelon of motorsport.
The majority of teams will look to confirm their driver pairings before the season is out, but it is unlikely that the grid will be complete until early 2017.
In fact, it was not until February this year that Manor announced that Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto would be behind the wheel of their cars, so fans should brace themselves for a few frustrating months of waiting.
In this slideshow, I look at how each of the sport’s eleven outfits could line-up next season, discussing which mooted moves will happen and which are little more than gossip.
