Haas confirm Esteban Ocon will leave at the end of 2026
Haas has confirmed that Esteban Ocon will leave the team at the end of the 2026 season, ending his two-year stint with the American outfit.
Ocon announced the news himself on Instagram. "My time with Haas F1 Team will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season," he wrote. He said he leaves "with my head held high", proud of his performances in circumstances that were not always easy and involved factors outside of his control. His immediate focus is the next race weekend, he added, and he will keep working with the team to maximise every opportunity while there are still many races to go.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu thanked the Frenchman as the news was announced. "I'd like to thank Esteban for everything he's contributed to the team," Komatsu said. "His professionalism and commitment have proved valuable as we continue to grow as an organization."
Ocon joined from Alpine ahead of the 2025 campaign on a multi-year deal, becoming the first grand prix winner to race for Haas. Komatsu had known him since 2014, when he engineered Ocon in his first Formula One test with Lotus.
The results did not follow. Oliver Bearman narrowly outscored Ocon last year and led the battle between them 18-3 heading into this month's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Ocon finished eighth in Baku, his best result of 2026, one place ahead of Bearman in ninth. He had told reporters in the paddock that he was "definitely a free agent for next year".
Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara is widely reported to be the favourite for the vacant seat. Haas has not yet named its 2027 line-up, and it is one of three teams without a full line-up confirmed, alongside Racing Bulls and Aston Martin.
Ocon's next move is unclear, with Aston Martin, Cadillac and Toyota's World Endurance Championship programme all linked with the 30-year-old. He made his F1 debut with Manor in 2016 and is in his tenth season in the sport. His only victory came at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with Alpine.
He made his own position clear in his statement. "I am still motivated. I am still hungry," Ocon said. "This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career."
Komatsu said last week that Haas would settle its driver decision within a couple of weeks, so an announcement on Ocon's replacement should not be far away.
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