Esteban Ocon has announced that he will part ways with the Haas Formula 1 team once the 2026 season draws to a close, a decision that has now been confirmed by both the driver and the outfit. The news broke on Wednesday morning, ending weeks of speculation about the future of the 30‑year‑old Frenchman at the Californian squad. In the same statement, Haas made it clear that there will be no immediate update regarding Ocon's successor, despite circulating rumors that Brazilian Ferrari junior Rafael Camara could be earmarked to join British youngster Oliver Bearman for the following season.
The team simply said it would reveal details about the new driver line‑up when the time is right. Ocon took to his personal social media channels to share his thoughts on the departure. He wrote: "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." The French driver originally moved to Haas from Alpine for the 2025 season, but over the two years he has been consistently out‑performed by his teammate, 21‑year‑old Oliver Bearman. The performance gap widened further in 2026, with Bearman sitting 13th in the Drivers' Championship on 20 points, while Ocon was down in 16th place with just seven points. In qualifying, Bearman enjoyed a 10‑to‑4 advantage over Ocon throughout the year. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu praised Ocon’s contributions, stating: "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. Together this year we tackled the challenge of a major regulation change, where Esteban's driving experience and inputs were significant as we've worked hard to develop the VF‑26 across the season. There's still plenty of racing ahead, and our focus remains on working together to maximise every opportunity through to the final race of the year." With only eight rounds left in the 2026 calendar when the announcement was made, it looks highly probable that Ocon will be without a race seat for the 2027 season.
Opportunities on the grid appear limited, so the Frenchman may have to accept a reserve‑driver role if he wishes to stay involved in the sport. Nevertheless, Ocon insists that his Formula 1 career is far from over. He added: "My immediate focus is the next race weekend. I will continue to work hard with the team, maximise every opportunity, and keep extracting every bit of performance from the car.
There are still many races to go this season and, as always, I will give it my everything behind the wheel for myself and for my team. I am still motivated. I am still hungry.
This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career." Ocon’s career has already seen a similar setback. After being released by Force India (which later became Racing Point and then Aston Martin), he served as a reserve driver for Mercedes in 2019. He returned to the grid the following year with Renault, staying with the organisation for five seasons as it rebranded to Alpine, and secured his sole Grand Prix victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
His most notable result for Haas came early in his tenure, when he finished fifth at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, his second race for the team. In the 2026 season his best finish was an eighth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Looking ahead, Haas appears poised to field two Ferrari‑linked juniors in 2027. Oliver Bearman is expected to remain, while the spot vacated by Ocon is likely to be filled by Rafael Camara, who is currently a Ferrari junior and leads the Formula 2 championship by seven points with two rounds to go.
Camara, also 21, benefits from the close technical partnership between Ferrari and Haas, which supplies the American team with its power units. The announcement comes as Formula 1 prepares to return to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled at the Sepang International Circuit. Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW, offering a contract‑free, cancel‑anytime option. Overall, while Ocon’s departure marks the end of a short but eventful chapter at Haas, his determination to stay in the sport suggests we may see him back on the grid in a different capacity soon.
Whether as a reserve driver, a test driver, or perhaps even a surprise mid‑season call‑up, the Frenchman’s resolve and hunger for competition remain evident, and the F1 community will be watching closely for his next move.