Esteban Ocon confirms his Haas F1 fate

(Photo by Alex Pantling/LAT Images) Esteban Ocon made it official on Wednesday morning.

class="wp-block-paragraph">He will not be returning to Haas for the 2027 Formula 1 season.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Ocon’s status as Haas has been an open question throughout the past few months, as the veteran driver struggled to keep pace with teammate Oliver Bearman. Ocon entered last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix with just three points on the season, and while he more than doubled that total with an eighth-place finish — one spot ahead of Bearman — it was not enough to keep his spot.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The driver confirmed the news with a social media post on Wednesday morning.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“My time with Haas F1 Team will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season,” read a statement posted by Ocon on social media.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“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.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“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.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“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.”

class="wp-block-paragraph">According to reports from the official F1 channel, Ocon was informed of the team’s decision to move in a different direction during last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It is believed that F2 driver, and Ferrari academy prospect, Rafael Câmara is a favorite for the seat next to Bearman next year. While Bearman’s status has not bee officially confirmed, he has performed well enough to earn more time with the team.

class="wp-block-paragraph">As for Ocon, the difficulty for the veteran driver will be finding a spot on the F1 grid for next season, with the majority of team having already confirmed their lineups for 2027. One potential landing spot was removed on Tuesday, as Fernando Alonso announced he will be back at Aston Martin for another season. The only spots yet to be officially confirmed are at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and Mercedes.

class="wp-block-paragraph">However, it is largely believed that Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad will be back at VCARB, and Mercedes is sure to retain George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, as the contracts announced for those drivers in October of 2025 are believed to contain several options for 2027 and beyond.

class="wp-block-paragraph">So where might that leave Ocon? He came up through the Mercedes program, and when he was left without a seat for 2019, he shifted into a reserve role with the team under Toto Wolff, who has managed Ocon’s career. With the options on the grid dwindling, a return to Mercedes in a reserve role might be his best — and only — option in Formula 1.