Despite recent rumors surrounding Esteban Ocon, Ayao Komatsu refused to confirm that the Frenchman would remain at Haas next season.
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Since the Miami Grand Prix, several speculations have surrounded Esteban Ocon’s future at Haas. Some rumors even mentioned a tense altercation between the French driver and the team principal, Ayao Komatsu, amid disappointing results against Oliver Bearman.
Other paddock whispers went even further, announcing that Ocon could lose his seat before the end of the season, with the name of Yuki Tsunoda regularly mentioned as a potential replacement.
Faced with these reports, Ocon had already strongly reacted on Friday in Montreal, denouncing rumors “completely invented” and even comparing this situation to a form of “harassment”.
Komatsu refuses to confirm his duo for 2027
But while the Haas boss had publicly defended his driver in recent days, he did not wish to definitively calm speculations regarding 2027.
When asked about the period during which Haas will start seriously considering its future driver duo, Komatsu acknowledged that discussions were approaching quickly.
“It is generally around May, June, or July that everyone starts looking at options for the following year” explained the Japanese.
A rather classic response… before he was directly questioned about a possible retention of the current tandem composed of Ocon and Bearman.
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A very cautious response from the Haas boss
Rather than confirming his drivers, Komatsu preferred to completely avoid the subject, aware of the media impact that any statement could have.
“A question like that will inevitably create problems” he said in front of journalists.
The Haas director believes his words could be quickly taken out of context and further fuel speculations around Ocon.
“People will take my words and say: ‘Ayao confirmed this or that about Esteban’. So I will not answer this question.”
An uncertain future despite a contract
This caution inevitably casts doubt on the situation of the Frenchman, even though Ocon claims to be fully committed to the Haas project and reminds that he has a contract with the American team.
Sportingly, the start of the season for the French driver remains difficult. Oliver Bearman seems regularly more comfortable behind the wheel of the Haas, which naturally fuels questions about the internal hierarchy of the team.
In a driver market that could quickly stir for 2027, Haas therefore still seems far from having definitively decided on its future duo.
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