Esteban Ocon

Haas dropped Esteban Ocon from the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend and gave no reason. Ryo Hirakawa took his seat, and the team confirmed that Ocon was not ill [4]. Ocon was already due to leave at the end of the season, and he is the Frenchman who won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for Alpine [4] [2].

One win, in Hungary

Ocon won the Hungarian Grand Prix on 1 August 2021 [3]. It was his first Formula 1 victory, and Formula 1 called him a "shock maiden winner" [2]. He held off Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin [2]. The race began with crashes on the first lap and a red flag [2]. Alpine's own account calls it the first victory for the Alpine brand [3]. Formula 1 also noted that Fernando Alonso's late stall of Lewis Hamilton may have helped his team mate [2].

It is still his only win. His official driver profile lists one race win, four podiums and 490 career points from 198 Grands Prix [1].

The route to Haas

Ocon was born on 17 September 1996 in Évreux, Normandy [1]. His official profile lists the teams he drove for in order: Manor, from the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, then Force India, a spell as a Mercedes reserve, Renault, Alpine and finally Haas [1]. Before joining Haas he spent five seasons with Renault and Alpine [6].

Ocon joined Haas for 2025 and partnered Ollie Bearman [6]. Haas also held an option to keep him for 2027. According to The Race, the team did not activate it, and Ayao Komatsu told Ocon just after the summer break that he was unlikely to be retained. The Race described that as "not a definitive 'you're out'" [5].

Two seasons at Haas

The Race reports that Bearman outscored Ocon over the two seasons [5]. The same report says that, in the team's view, Ocon could be defensive when results went badly and was "too combative internally when backs have been against the wall." It also criticised him for "blind-alley set-up work" that wasted time [5].

Ocon told reporters that he was "definitely a free agent for next year" [6]. Asked whether staying at Haas was still an option, he said "Let's see" [6]. Haas then confirmed that he would leave at the end of the season, and Brazilian Rafael Camara was signed as his replacement [4].

In the same interview Ocon also said "We're all on the same page" and "We know it's been an ongoing issue" when asked about the relationship with the team. He added, "It's reassuring that I'm doing a good job" [6].

The Race says Rafael Camara, who is Ferrari-backed, was the favourite to replace him, and that Haas was impressed by his "immense one-lap pace" at Portimão [5] [6]. Komatsu is quoted saying that between drivers of similar performance, "affiliations or the packages they've got matters" [5].

Bearman, who stayed on, has said the drivers find the car's behaviour "really challenging" to handle, because it changes from track to track [5]. The Race also reports that Ocon repeatedly criticised the car, especially the brakes, during 2025 [5].

The Mexico City weekend

On Friday, Ocon used team radio to question a change to his run plan in the second practice session. He told race engineer Laura Mueller "don't do this to me" [4]. His race simulation had been planned on soft tyres. After Oliver Bearman flat-spotted his soft tyres, the team switched Ocon to mediums [4].

Hirakawa had already replaced Ocon in Friday's first practice session, where he finished 15th [4]. Sky Sports reports that Hirakawa will make his F1 qualifying and race debut, partnering Bearman in final practice, qualifying and the 71-lap race [4]. Komatsu said he could not say much about the decision, but that Ocon was not ill [4].

Sky Sports also quoted David Croft saying that behind the scenes "the relationship between Esteban and the team hasn't been magnificent in recent races" [4]. Jamie Chadwick, quoted in the same report, said Ocon was "fighting for a drive" [4].

What is known and what is not

Haas has not given a reason for dropping Ocon for the rest of the weekend. The reasons reported so far come from The Race and Sky Sports [5] [4].