Esteban Ocon’s future at Haas is under pressure after the Frenchman experienced a difficult start to the F1 season. He confirmed ahead of the Hungarian GP that he currently has no news about his future. It is known that his contract expires at the end of the year. Haas is reportedly already looking at possible successors. McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli and Formula 2 talent Rafael Câmara are being mentioned.
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Ocon has collected only three points in the first ten races of the season and, according to him, is struggling with the inconsistency of the VF-26. The Frenchman is also clearly being beaten by teammate Oliver Bearman, who has already collected fifteen more points this season. Names like Leonardo Fornaroli and Rafael Camara are being mentioned as possible candidates for the second Haas seat alongside Bearman in 2027.
Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the last race before the summer break, Ocon was asked about his future plans. “Of course, there’s nothing to announce yet,” said the 29-year-old. “The summer break will be quite busy. We’ll see. Right now, we’re focusing on this race and we’ll see what happens. There are always many options. We’ll talk to the team first. I’ve been here for two years. Ayao (Komatsu, ed.) convinced me to come here. The first conversation will certainly be with this team.”
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‘Most difficult first half of the season ever’
Since his move from Alpine to Haas in 2025, Ocon has struggled to meet expectations. The winner of the Hungarian GP in 2021 was brought in as an experienced force to elevate the American team, but his results have lagged. The Frenchman had previously indicated that problems with the car’s consistency have severely affected him this season.
“It’s perhaps not frustration, but a matter of too many difficulties, too many problems,” Ocon explained. “Too many things that prevented us from performing. This was probably the most difficult first half of the season I have ever experienced. I’m talking purely about the consistency of the car, from race to race, and the many problems I’ve had this year. I hope it gets better. We are working hard on it, all of us, and it’s not just difficult for me, but for the whole team. But we know what we need to do and we are joining forces to solve the problems. That’s the most important thing.”
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