Haas confirmed Esteban Ocon will leave the team at the end of the 2026 season, with team principal Ayao Komatsu thanking the French driver for his professionalism and commitment since joining from Alpine in 2025. Ocon joined Haas after Alpine announced in June 2024 that he would not remain with the team, then dropped him before the final race to promote Jack Doohan.
Ocon finished eighth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his best result of 2026 and ahead of teammate Oliver Bearman, but trails Bearman 20 points to 7 in the championship. The 30-year-old declared himself a free agent last weekend and emphasized his continued motivation for Formula 1, saying he has won in every category he has driven including go-karts, Formula Renault, GP3, Formula 3 and his 2021 victory at Hungary with Alpine.
Team principal Komatsu indicated during Azerbaijan that Haas had made their decision about Ocon's future much earlier in the season, noting that every driver has closing points for contract options. Haas has not announced Ocon's replacement, though Ferrari protégé Rafael Camara, who leads Formula 2, is tipped to join alongside Oliver Bearman as part of the manufacturer's young driver programme.