Ocon to Leave Haas at the end of 2026

Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, raising questions about whether he will have a seat next year. 

Both Ocon and the team confirmed the split on Wednesday, after months of speculation about his future.

Ocon joined Haas from Alpine in 2025. The 30-year-old said he was proud of his work with the team, despite what he described as difficult circumstances. He thanked the team and said his immediate focus was on the remaining races.

“This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career,” Ocon said. He added that he was still motivated and hungry to race.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu thanked Ocon for his professionalism and commitment. He said Ocon’s experience and feedback had helped the team develop its VF-26 car during a major change in F1 rules. 

Komatsu said the team would keep working with Ocon to make the most of the rest of the season.

Ocon’s teammate, Oliver Bearman, has had stronger results. Bearman, 21, is 13th in the drivers’ standings with 20 points, while Ocon is 16th with seven. Bearman also leads their qualifying comparison this season, 10-4.

Ocon’s best result for Haas came in only his second race with the team: fifth place at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. 

His best finish this year is eighth, at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Eight rounds remain in the 2026 season.

Haas says there is no immediate news about who will replace Ocon. Brazilian driver Rafael Camara has been reported as a possible candidate, but the team has not confirmed this. 

Camara is a Ferrari junior and currently leads the Formula 2 championship by seven points, with two rounds left. Bearman is also a Ferrari junior, and Haas uses Ferrari power units.

Ocon may struggle to find another race seat for 2027. A reserve-driver role is one possibility. He has faced this situation before: after leaving Force India, he spent 2019 as Mercedes’ reserve driver. 

He returned to the grid with Renault in 2020, later racing for the team under its Alpine name.

Ocon’s biggest career achievement remains his 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix victory, his only Formula 1 win. He has also earned four podium finishes across his ten-year F1 career.

For now, Ocon says he will focus on finishing the season strongly and making the most of every remaining opportunity with Haas.