For several weeks, Esteban Ocon has been under pressure due to increasingly favorable comparisons to his young teammate Oliver Bearman, to the point that his future is in question.
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New questions surround the future of Esteban Ocon at Haas F1 Team following statements by Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli, who claims that the Frenchman might not even finish the 2026 season.
Inside the paddock, many now consider Bearman as the true reference driver for Haas, despite his lack of experience, which is confirmed by a comparison of their results.
A relationship deteriorating internally?
At the same time, several rumors already mention potential replacements for the future. Yuki Tsunoda has recently been linked to Haas, while former Alpine driver Jack Doohan remains connected to some opportunities supported by Toyota within the American organization.
Asked on the channel UOL Esporte, Cerasoli stated that the head of Haas, Ayao Komatsu, is very dissatisfied with Ocon’s current level: “Komatsu doesn’t really like Ocon and is not satisfied with his performances. I’ve heard that he’s not even sure Ocon will finish the year. His situation was clearly far from ideal. ”
Other rumors then amplified the speculation by mentioning a significant deterioration of the relationship between Ocon and Komatsu during the weekend of the Miami Grand Prix. According to some versions later reported, the growing performance gap between Bearman and Ocon further weakened the Frenchman’s position within the team.
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Camara contending for 2027
However, faced with the buzz on social media, Cerasoli later clarified her remarks. On her social accounts, she specified that she never spoke of a specific conflict that occurred in Miami between Ocon and Komatsu.
“To avoid any misinterpretation, I specify that I was mainly talking about the possible future of Rafa Camara at Haas starting in 2027 and the fact that Komatsu had already publicly criticized Ocon, she explained. I have not heard of any specific dispute between them during the Miami weekend and I never claimed that.”
Even with this clarification, these statements nevertheless fuel an atmosphere of uncertainty around Ocon. The Frenchman, who hoped to revive his career by joining Haas after leaving Alpine F1 Team, now finds himself under strong pressure as Bearman continues to strengthen his reputation within the paddock.
For now, Haas has officially commented on none of these speculations. But the mere fact that such rumors circulate so early in the season illustrates how fragile the French driver’s situation seems to have become.
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