Ocon dismisses Haas exit talk despite growing 2027 pressure
Esteban Ocon says Haas fully trusts him for 2027, even as Ferrari, McLaren and Toyota each have a preferred replacement candidate ready for his seat.
Esteban Ocon has brushed aside intensifying speculation that Haas is preparing to replace him for 2027.
The Frenchman is increasingly being linked with an exit as the Formula 1 driver market gathers pace at the Austrian GP, with several names already connected to the seat alongside Oliver Bearman.
The names linked to Ocon's seat
Ferrari-backed Rafael Camara is among the contenders, as is reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, who is supported by McLaren and recently tested for Haas at Jerez.
Current reserve Yuki Tsunoda has also been linked, with Haas' close Toyota ties and team boss Ayao Komatsu's Japanese connections potentially strengthening his chances.
Ocon, however, insists he has the full backing of the team.
"The team trusts me, Ayao trusts me," he said.
"I think Ayao already talked about this in Canada. I already discussed a lot of these topics in Canada. I'm focused on doing everything we can with the team to improve.
"So I'm calm, trying to do my best, focusing on the right things."
The 29-year-old also sounded frustrated by the speculation swirling around the paddock.
"People can say whatever they want, but frankly, I don't give a damn. I just want to do my job well."
Ocon admits Haas' recent form has been disappointing.
"The last three or four races have been pretty tough for the whole team," he said. "Of course, we've scored a few points, but not enough, not the way we want, and we need to get back into shape.
"We deserve it. We've been working hard. But it hasn't paid off yet."
He is also refusing to think about 2027.
"What race are we in now, seventh, eighth?" Ocon said. "As a driver, I have to focus on performance on the track. Everything else follows.
"Obviously, we have more serious issues with the car than that right now. So that's what we need to address first.
"If we solve the car issues and get better performance, everything will become easier."
He added: "There will always be talk.
"When you look deeper and understand why I haven't had many points this year, we know the real reasons internally, within the team and among those close to us, so that's the most important thing.
"We know we're doing the right thing. Now we need to make it pay off."
Haas F1 at a glance
| Founded | 2016 (F1 entry) |
|---|---|
| Current drivers | Oliver Bearman & Esteban Ocon |
| Best finish | 5th in constructors (2018) |
| Engine supplier | Ferrari (since 2016) |
See also: F1 all-time statistics archive on F1-Fansite.
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One F1 fan comment on “Ocon dismisses Haas exit talk despite growing 2027 pressure”
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I’m happy about his stance, as people should indeed accept that he’s down on points solely due to factors beyond his control that have affected him in almost every round, not to mention the whole team has been struggling most recently; hence, even Ollie has achieved similar results.
As for alternative options, only Camara & Beganovic could even be comparatively superior options, while Fornaroli would need to quit his association with McLaren, as Gabi did when he switched to Audi.
Tsunoda has zero chance, so merely mentioning him is pointless, as he’s Honda-affiliated & Haas has a technical partnership with Toyota, so only Toyota-affiliated drivers could compete for them (of course, Toyota would only push for their roster of drivers), & the same the other way around regarding Aston Martin, nor would he even be an improvement, so zero chance.
Literally, the only way Tsunoda could make a full-time return for next season is if someone voluntarily left a team, as no team would sacrifize either driver for him, since he wouldn’t be a comparatively superior option to any current full-time driver.