Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes Esteban Ocon is "really in trouble" regarding his future at Haas amid a "strained relationship" with the American squad.
The 2027 F1 grid is beginning to take shape after Max Verstappen committed to Red Bull until the end of 2030 and both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon signed contract extensions with Williams. Consequently, the paddock's focus has shifted to the remaining midfield vacancies, with Ocon's seat at Haas being questioned.
Speaking on the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up broadcast ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Palmer cast doubt on the Frenchman's future with Haas. "I think Esteban is really in trouble," Palmer explained. "He's had a bit of a strained relationship now with Haas. He's not performed and that's the big seat."
Alex Brundle, who joined Palmer on the show, also said: "Yeah, Esteban's seat is the one that's up for discussion. Could it be Leonardo Fornaroli, who was Formula 2 champion last year? Could it be the Ferrari-associated Rafael Camara in that seat, or indeed will Ocon keep it?"
Ocon joined Haas in 2025. In his first season with the team, he was outperformed by his rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman. While Bearman finished the year 13th in the drivers' standings with 41 points, Ocon was 15th with 38 points. This performance deficit has continued into 2026. After the first 11 rounds, Bearman sits 13th with 18 points and Ocon is 17th with just three points.
Ocon spoke about his contract ahead of the summer break, confirming that there was nothing to announce at that time but hinting that discussions would likely take place during August. "Of course nothing to announce yet," he said. "The summer break will be quite busy. We will see. At the moment we're focused on this race and we'll see what happens. There's always many options. At the moment we will discuss with the team first. I've been here for two years. I've been convinced by Ayao Komatsu to come here. The first discussion will happen with this team for sure."
With performances continuing to decline and speculation growing, Ocon's future in F1 remains a major question mark. Haas's decision in the coming weeks will be crucial, determining whether the Frenchman can turn things around or must seek a new team for 2027.
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