Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season and the team has not named a replacement, according to Motorsport.com. The outlet reports Ocon joined Haas from Alpine for 2025 and, across 2025–2026 alongside Oliver Bearman, trails 61–45 on points.
Haas praise as focus stays on 2026 run-in
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said, via Motorsport.com: “I’d like to thank Esteban for everything he’s contributed to the team since joining us in 2025. His professionalism and commitment have proved valuable as we continue to grow as an organisation.
“Together this year we tackled the challenge of a major regulation change, where Esteban’s driving experience and inputs were significant as we’ve worked hard to develop the VF-26 across the season. There’s still plenty of racing ahead and our focus remains on working together to maximise every opportunity through to the final race of the year.”
Ocon cites car inconsistency, vows F1 future
Motorsport.com notes Ocon has maintained that Haas’ car inconsistencies affected him more than Bearman and were behind his struggles. In a social post quoted by the outlet, Ocon wrote: “My time with Haas F1 Team will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season… I leave this project with my head held high… [in] circumstances for various reasons and factors outside of my control.” He added: “There are still many races to go this season and, as always, I will give it my everything… I am still motivated. I am still hungry. This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career.”
Who gets the seat?
Ocon’s next move and Haas’s replacement are not yet known. Motorsport.com reports reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and current F2 leader Rafael Camara are understood to be candidates.
The numbers, per the report
Motorsport.com reports Ocon scored points in Baku last weekend but trails Bearman 13–6 in 2026 qualifying head-to-head. Ocon is 16th in the 2026 drivers’ standings, three spots behind Bearman, with Haas seventh in the constructors’ championship after 15 of 23 rounds. The outlet adds Ocon may leave 2026 with 203 grand prix starts, one win (Hungary 2021) and four podiums, all with Alpine.
