Esteban Ocon has confirmed he will leave the Haas Formula 1 team at the end of the 2026 season, ending a two-year stint with the American outfit. The announcement came on the Wednesday before the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Ferrari's F2 points leader Rafael Camara heavily tipped to take his seat.
Ocon joined Haas in 2025 after five seasons with Renault/Alpine, but the partnership failed to deliver the expected results. Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu even admitted last winter that he "expected more" from Ocon in 2025, as rookie teammate Ollie Bearman established himself as the stronger driver in the second half of the year.
Things didn't improve enough in 2026 to convince Haas to keep Ocon beyond his current deal. The team conducted private tests with several drivers, including Camara, McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, Toyota's Ryo Hirakawa, and ex-Alpine driver Jack Doohan, as part of its Testing of Previous Cars programme. Ultimately, Haas decided to drop Ocon, with Camara the frontrunner to replace him.
In a statement, Ocon said: "My time with Haas F1 Team will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season. I leave this project with my head held high and proud of my performances in what were not always the easiest of circumstances for various reasons and factors outside of my control." He added, "I am still motivated. I am still hungry. This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career."
The circumstances Ocon refers to likely relate to Haas's struggles with inconsistent parts, which often left the team unable to run two cars optimally. Both Ocon and Bearman were affected on different weekends. Despite this, Ocon led Haas's first double points finish of the season in Baku and currently sits 16th in the drivers' championship.
Haas released its own statement thanking Ocon, with Komatsu saying: "I'd like to thank Esteban for everything he's contributed to the team since joining us in 2025. His professionalism and commitment have proved valuable as we continue to grow as an organisation."
With Aston Martin confirming Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for 2027, Ocon has no race seat options for 2027, as only Mercedes and Racing Bulls haven't confirmed their line-ups, and Ocon is a contender for neither. The Race understands Ocon will most likely move to another series, though nothing is official yet.
Meanwhile, Haas appears ready to hand a chance to Rafael Camara, the Ferrari junior and current F2 leader. If the deal is completed, it would mark a significant step in Camara's career and signal a new era for Haas.
Read Also
Esteban Ocon resmi hengkang dari Haas akhir musim 2026. Rafael Camara difavoritkan sebagai pengganti. Simak analisis lengkapnya di Sportrik.
Mercedes meluncurkan livery spesial hijau-hitam untuk Grand Prix Bahrain di Malaysia di Sepang, merayakan Petronas dan kembalinya F1. Simak analisis dan kutipan Toto Wolff.
GP Bahrain 2026 digelar di Sepang, Malaysia, dengan ancaman hujan 90% saat balapan. Simak prakiraan cuaca dan dampaknya bagi strategi tim F1.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!