Esteban Ocon has confirmed that his tenure with the Haas Formula One team will conclude at the close of the 2026 season, a statement jointly issued by the driver and the outfit. The announcement arrived on Wednesday morning, putting an end to months of speculation surrounding the future of the 30‑year‑old Frenchman within the organization. In the same communiqué, Haas clarified that no immediate details would be provided regarding Ocon's successor, despite circulating rumors that Brazilian Ferrari junior Rafael Camara could be slated to partner Britain’s rising star Oliver Bearman for the following year. The team chose to keep the replacement discussion under wraps for the time being.
Ocon took to his social‑media channels to acknowledge the news, writing: "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 made the move to Haas from Alpine ahead of the 2025 season, but his results have consistently been eclipsed by the 21‑year‑old Bearman, who has outperformed him across both years of collaboration. The performance gap widened further in 2026: Bearman finished the Drivers' Championship in 13th place with 20 points, while Ocon ended up 16th with just seven points.
In head‑to‑head qualifying battles this season, Bearman enjoyed a 10‑4 advantage over his teammate. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu expressed gratitude for 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, the timing of the news strongly suggests that Ocon will be without a race‑seat for the 2027 season.
Opportunities on the grid appear limited, meaning the Frenchman may need to accept a reserve‑driver role or explore other avenues to stay involved in the sport. Nevertheless, Ocon has been emphatic that his career is far from over. "My immediate focus is the next race weekend," he added.
"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 journey in Formula 1 has already seen him navigate periods without a full‑time seat. He served as a reserve driver for Mercedes in 2019 after being released by Force India, the outfit that later evolved into Racing Point and ultimately Aston Martin.
He returned to the grid with Renault in 2020, remaining with the team for five seasons as it rebranded to Alpine. During that stint, Ocon secured his sole Grand Prix victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
His most notable result for Haas arrived early in his tenure, when he finished fifth at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. In the 2026 season, his best finish was an eighth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, underscoring the challenges he faced in extracting top‑tier performance from the VF‑26 chassis. Looking ahead, Haas appears poised to field two Ferrari‑linked drivers in 2027. Oliver Bearman is expected to stay, while the team’s prospective replacement for Ocon is believed to be Rafael Camara, a 21‑year‑old currently leading the Formula 2 championship by seven points with two rounds remaining.
Camara’s affiliation with Ferrari, which supplies Haas’s power units, makes him a logical candidate for promotion. Beyond the team news, the Formula 1 calendar will head to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the Bahrain Grand Prix set to take place at the Sepang International Circuit. Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW, with flexible subscription options.
The upcoming races will provide Ocon with a final opportunity to showcase his skill before his contract expires, and they will also serve as a platform for Bearman and any new Haas drivers to make their mark as the sport moves into its next regulatory era.