Ayao Komatsu confirms it: Esteban Ocon is one of five candidates for a single seat at Haas in 2027. Performance will be the main selection criterion.
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What was still just a threat is becoming serious for Esteban Ocon. For the first time, Ayao Komatsu has publicly confirmed that the Frenchman will have to defend his place at Haas for the 2027 season against four other drivers.
The American team is currently evaluating several options and recently held an important private testing session at Portimão. Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara were placed in comparable conditions to allow Haas to precisely analyze their performances.
Jack Doohan is set to take the wheel during a test in Jerez in September. With Ocon, there are thus five fighting for a single seat.
Komatsu confirms the five candidates
The Haas director no longer tries to hide the ongoing selection process. In a column published by the Japanese media as-web.jp, Komatsu even revealed precisely the identities of the drivers being evaluated.
“As has already been reported, five drivers, including our reserve driver, are competing for a seat in 2027,” he explains.
And the Japanese immediately confirms the list.
“The five drivers are our reserve drivers Ryo Hirakawa and Jack Doohan, Leonardo Fornaroli, Rafael Camara, and Esteban.”
Ocon’s presence on this list is obviously the major piece of information. The Frenchman is therefore not guaranteed to keep his seat and must convince Haas that he remains the best option against several younger drivers.
Speed will be the number one criterion
Komatsu also specifies that Haas does not intend to make its choice mainly based on reputation, experience, or the commercial potential of the candidates. Pure performance will be decisive.
“Regarding the criteria we will use to make our decision, it will primarily be performance,” states the head of the American team.
Haas already has some particularly interesting initial references. During a previous test held in Jerez, Hirakawa and Fornaroli were notably compared to Oliver Bearman.
According to Komatsu, less than a tenth separated the three drivers at that time. An extremely small gap that pushed Haas to continue its evaluation program to obtain more data.
A crucial test held at Portimão
The team thus took advantage of the TPC program, which allows running old single-seaters, to organize a new comparison at Portimão.
Hirakawa, Fornaroli, and Camara carried out comparable programs there. The goal was not simply to accumulate kilometers, but to allow Haas to confront their performances under conditions as similar as possible.
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Fornaroli had already left a favorable impression during previous runs, while Camara benefits from significant support from Ferrari. Frédéric Vasseur recently confirmed that the Scuderia is actively looking for the best way to support the progression of the young driver.
Hirakawa, for his part, has more experience behind the wheel of Formula 1 single-seaters and also benefits from his links with Toyota, Haas’s technical partner.
Jack Doohan will also have his chance
Ocon’s fourth rival will be Jack Doohan. The former Alpine driver is set to soon carry out his own test with Haas in Jerez, which will allow the team to complete its comparisons.
The Australian has a different profile from the young Fornaroli and Camara as he already has experience in Grand Prix racing.
Haas will therefore have to arbitrate between several philosophies: keeping experience and stability with Ocon, betting on a driver already familiar with Formula 1 like Doohan or Hirakawa, or giving a chance to one of the young talents that are Fornaroli and Camara.
Komatsu does not hide his interest in this last possibility.
Haas is no longer afraid to bet on youth
The Haas boss believes that the perception of young drivers has considerably evolved over recent seasons.
“There was a time when young drivers got very few opportunities in Formula 1, but that radically changed last year,” he notes.
The performances of several rookies have helped convince teams that a lack of experience is no longer necessarily a major obstacle.
“It is still a good thing to give a chance to young drivers,” adds Komatsu.
A statement that should not particularly reassure Ocon as two young drivers supported by major structures are precisely among his competitors.
Ocon must now convince Haas
The Frenchman’s situation is now official: his seat for 2027 is not guaranteed.
Haas seems willing to take its time before deciding and still has several tests to compare its different options. The team can also observe Ocon’s performances directly in Grand Prix, which is an obvious advantage for the Frenchman compared to candidates mainly evaluated during private sessions.
But Komatsu has now clearly set the rules of the game. Ocon’s experience alone will not be enough to guarantee him another season.
To keep his place at Haas in 2027, Ocon will have to prove that he remains the most competitive option. Against Hirakawa, Doohan, Fornaroli, and Camara, the Frenchman has officially entered a five-driver casting from which only one will emerge with the precious seat.
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