Esteban Ocon has insisted that drivers are not the problem at the struggling Haas Formula 1 team, amid growing uncertainty over his future with the American outfit. The Frenchman's contract expires at the end of the season, and Haas has been evaluating potential replacements.
The team's VF-26 has suffered from inconsistency in the performance of its aerodynamic components, an issue that the latest upgrades introduced at Monza have not fully resolved, although Ocon described them as a positive step. As a result, Ocon has often been outperformed by his teammate, Oliver Bearman, particularly in qualifying.
Statistically, Ocon has been outqualified 12-6 by Bearman and outscored 18-3. However, most of Bearman's points came from his heroics in the opening two grands prix. Since the April break, Ocon has actually outscored Bearman 2-1, as Haas gradually lost ground in the pecking order.
Ocon revealed that the inconsistency issue has plagued him in 10 of the 13 rounds so far. He emphasised that he, team principal Ayao Komatsu, and Bearman are fully aware of the situation. "When we get the cars to a healthy state where they can perform, we perform as drivers," he said. "Ollie last week had a car that was delivering what we expected, and on my side it wasn't, but that was different in Budapest."
Despite the difficulties, Ocon remains optimistic about the team's hard work. He highlighted three consecutive Q2 appearances as a sign of progress, though not yet Q3. "I feel like I've extracted the maximum out of the car, and there was nothing left on the table," he stated. "We need more performance to fight for points, but at least we know what to work on."
Ocon's future at Haas has been under threat for months. The team recently tested three young drivers in a former F1 car at Portimao: Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, and Ferrari junior Rafael Camara. Fornaroli is the reigning Formula 2 champion, while Camara is in Formula 3.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, the pressure is mounting on Ocon. However, he believes that Haas's poor performance is not solely down to the drivers. He argues that the team must focus on resolving the car's technical issues to become competitive again. If Haas wants to bounce back, they need to find solutions quickly, as the competition in F1 intensifies.
Baca Juga
Esteban Ocon menegaskan masalah Haas bukan pada pembalap, meski masa depannya terancam. Baca analisis lengkapnya di Sportrik.
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