You can see Formula 1’s next team shuffle take shape around Esteban Ocon. His departure leaves Haas with a key seat open and fans alert to the market. Follow every clue as his Haas chapter reaches its final season.
Esteban Ocon will leave Haas F1 Team after the 2026 Formula 1 season. His career record frames a new chapter ahead; Haas has not named his successor. Ocon now sits in the F1 driver market as teams shape future lineups.
Why Ocon leaves Haas after the 2026 season
The decision closes Ocon’s two-season Haas spell, which began after his Alpine exit. His move to Haas placed him beside Oliver Bearman, then a rookie, for both campaigns. Bearman has 61 points against Ocon’s 45, a gap reflected across their results. That contrast made a driver departure plausible, despite Ocon’s experience and grand prix win.
Team boss Ayao Komatsu praised Ocon’s professionalism and his contribution since the Frenchman joined in 2025. He credited Ocon’s technical feedback as Haas developed the VF-26 under new rules. That work mattered as the team adapted its car across a demanding season. Technical input still matters as Haas seeks stronger results before the finale.
Ocon’s results and his view of Haas
Ocon sits 16th in the drivers’ standings, three places behind Bearman after 15 rounds. Haas holds seventh in the constructors’ table, with eight rounds left from 23. His Baku points finish showed recent car progress, though one result cannot erase wider gaps. A 13-6 deficit in one-lap duels remains a clear measure of Bearman’s edge.
Ocon has blamed car inconsistency for his struggles, not his own pace. Earlier Haas pace concerns drew attention to the car’s uneven form. His public note said he leaves proud of his work under difficult conditions. His own account stays firm: he remains motivated and rejects talk of retirement.
Ocon’s next move and the F1 driver market
Haas has not confirmed its 2027 team lineup or Ocon’s next destination. Leonardo Fornaroli and Rafael Camara sit among names linked with the vacant seat. Fornaroli holds the reigning Formula 2 title; Camara leads the current F2 standings. The F1 driver market stays open as contract negotiations shape Haas’s next call.
By season’s end, Ocon is projected to reach 203 grand prix starts. He has one Formula 1 victory, earned at Hungary in 2021, and four podiums. All four podiums came with Alpine, before his Haas chapter began. His career still has room for another seat, though no destination has emerged in current motorsport news.
