Ocon will leave Haas as his place on the 2027 grid becomes highly uncertain

It is now official: Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 season after two years with the American team. The Frenchman says the split is ‘absolutely not’ the end of his F1 career, but he currently has no confirmed seat for 2027.

The decision had been made before Baku. Haas believes Ocon did not deliver the level of performance it expected over time, while Oliver Bearman has convinced the team more through his progression. Ocon nevertheless produced his best result of the season in Azerbaijan with eighth place.

The market is now narrow. F1.com sees a return to Mercedes as a reserve driver as a credible option if no race seat opens up. At Haas, Rafael Câmara currently appears to be the favourite to join Bearman in 2027, although no official announcement has yet been made.