F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Komatsu praises Ocon after Haas exit announcement

Ayao Komatsu says Esteban Ocon can still perform at the highest level, despite Haas’s decision to part with him at the end of 2026.

GPBeat · Newsroom05 Oct 2026, 23:28 · 2 min

RacingNews365 reports that Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The French driver joined from Alpine at the start of 2025 and has raced alongside Oliver Bearman. His best result with Haas was fifth place at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix; RacingNews365 says he has recorded two top-10 finishes so far in 2026.

RacingNews365 describes Ocon’s Formula 1 future as uncertain. Where he might race in 2027 remains unclear.

Update

Haas has announced that it will part ways with Esteban Ocon at the end of 2026, BBC Sport reported on 30 September. Ocon joined the team in 2025.

Ocon responded: “This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career.”

BBC Sport says there are no obvious seats for Ocon on the 2027 grid. Where he could continue his Formula 1 career after leaving Haas remains unclear.

Update

Ocon described his impending Haas departure as frustrating, but said he did not want to discuss what had happened in the past. In comments reported by RacingNews365 Nederland on 1 October, he said he was looking ahead instead.

The French driver argued that he deserved to remain in Formula 1. He said Haas had benefited from problems identified early in his time with the team. Asked whether the VF-26’s inconsistent performance had counted against him in the decision, Ocon said he did not think it had.

Ocon said his focus remained on Formula 1 and that he was still looking for a seat next year. He has not announced a new drive.

Update

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has praised Esteban Ocon’s speed and teamwork after Ocon announced he would leave the team at the end of the 2026 season. Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Komatsu said he felt it was time for a change, but maintained that Ocon could perform at the highest level when everything came together. He declined to give specific reasons for the decision.

Komatsu pointed to Baku as an example of Ocon’s cooperation. He said Ocon promptly eased off when asked, helping team-mate Oliver Bearman gain overtake mode while under pressure from Arvid Lindblad.

Komatsu said Haas would focus on giving Ocon the right environment for the remaining races, while Ocon concentrated on performing at each one. He hoped they would finish the season strongly.

Sources 04

SOURCEBreaking: Esteban Ocon confirms Haas exit with F1 future in doubtRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-09-30
PRIMARY SOURCEEsteban Ocon to leave Haas putting F1 future in doubtBBC Sport · Source date as found: 2026-09-30
SOURCEOcon reageert fel op vertrek bij Haas: "Ik verdien het om hier te zijn"RacingNews365 Nederland · Source date as found: 2026-10-01
SOURCEHaas launch strong Esteban Ocon defence despite wielding axeRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-10-01

Source context

RacingNews365 English reported the departure on 30 September 2026. Its headline says Ocon confirmed it, but the article gives no statement from him.

BBC Sport reported Haas’s announcement and Ocon’s response on 30 September 2026.

Source: RacingNews365 Nederland’s 1 October 2026 report on Ocon’s comments to the media.

RacingNews365 reported Komatsu’s remarks to media on 1 October 2026; he declined to give specific reasons for the split.

Claims and supporting evidence 21

RacingNews365 reports that Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s reported departure from Haas End of the 2026 season This is the article’s report, not a directly quoted announcement from Ocon or Haas.

[1]

The article says Ocon joined Haas from Alpine at the start of 2025 and partnered Oliver Bearman.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Haas tenure From the start of the 2025 season These background details come from the same RacingNews365 article; no independent publication was supplied.

[1]

RacingNews365 identifies fifth place at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix as Ocon’s best Haas result and says he had achieved two top-10 finishes so far in 2026.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Results during Ocon’s Haas tenure 2025 Chinese Grand Prix; 2026 season through the article’s publication on September 30 The result and season tally are reported by the single retrieved publication, not independently checked against race records.

[1]

RacingNews365 characterizes Ocon’s Formula 1 future as uncertain after the reported departure; it does not establish that he will leave the championship.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Prospects after Haas After the 2026 season, concerning 2027 Uncertainty about his future is the publication’s assessment, not a confirmed outcome.

[1]

The headline says Ocon confirms his Haas exit, while the article body states the departure without presenting a direct quote or identifying a statement by him.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Basis for the headline’s confirmation claim Article published September 30, 2026 The retrieved article does not establish the form or provenance of the purported personal confirmation. No other publication was retrieved for comparison.

[1]

BBC Sport reports that Haas announced it would part ways with Ocon at the end of 2026.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Haas and Esteban Ocon Announcement reported on 30 September 2026; departure at year-end. The year 2026 is resolved from the feed publication date; the article itself says 'the end of the year'. The Haas announcement was not retrieved directly.

[2]

Ocon said leaving Haas would not end his Formula 1 career. BBC Sport separately assessed that there were no obvious seats for him in 2027.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon's response and prospects Response reported on 30 September 2026; outlook for 2027. Ocon's intention is his own statement, not confirmation of a future seat. The assessment of available seats is the BBC's.

[2]

At the time of the report in 2026, BBC Sport placed Oliver Bearman 13th in the championship, three positions and 13 points ahead of Ocon. It reported a 13–6 qualifying advantage for Bearman, averaging 0.144 seconds.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Drivers' championship and qualifying comparison at Haas 2026 season through the report date. These are figures reported by the BBC, not independently checked race records; they are a season-to-date comparison, not final standings.

[2]

For 2025, BBC Sport reported that Bearman finished 13th and Ocon 15th, separated by three points; Bearman led their qualifying comparison 18–7, averaging 0.175 seconds.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Previous season's comparison 2025 season. The article calls this 'last year'; 2025 follows from the report's 2026 publication date. The figures were not independently checked.

[2]

Ocon joined Haas in 2025 and won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for Alpine, according to BBC Sport.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon's Formula 1 background 2021 and 2025. Background reported in the retrieved BBC article.

[2]

Haas's team principal credited Ocon's professionalism, commitment and input into development of the VF-26.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Haas's stated assessment of Ocon 2026 season. This is the team principal's assessment as quoted by BBC Sport, not an independently measured effect on car development.

[2]

RacingNews365 reports that Haas and Esteban Ocon announced their collaboration would end after the 2026 season. The announcement itself was linked but not retrieved.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. The reported end of Ocon’s Haas drive Reported on 1 October 2026; separation after the 2026 season This establishes what the retrieved report says, not the exact terms or rationale of the original announcement.

[3]

In a media session quoted by RacingNews365, Ocon called the situation frustrating, said it should not be this way, and declined to discuss what had happened in the past.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s reaction to his Haas departure Media session reported on 1 October 2026 The retrieved article provides selected quotations, not a full session transcript.

[3]

Ocon said he deserved to remain in F1 and argued that the team had benefited from problems identified early during his time there. Those assessments are his, not independently established findings about the car or his contribution.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s assessment of his place in Formula 1 and work at Haas His Haas tenure through the 2026 season The source supplies Ocon’s assessment but no independent technical evaluation.

[3]

Asked whether the VF-26’s inconsistent performance had counted against him in the decision, Ocon said he did not think it had. His answer does not establish Haas’s reason for the decision.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Whether car performance explains the separation The 2026 season and the decision concerning 2027 No Haas explanation of its decision was retrieved.

[3]

Ocon said he remained focused on F1 and was still seeking a solution for the following year; he did not announce a new drive in the retrieved report.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s plans after Haas Plans for 2027, as stated in October 2026 Only this RacingNews365 report was retrieved. There is no independently read publication with which to compare its account.

[3]

RacingNews365 reports that Ocon announced he would leave Haas at the end of the 2026 season. It presents team principal Ayao Komatsu’s subsequent public comments as his first since that announcement.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s departure and Komatsu’s response Departure at the end of 2026; comments reported on 1 October 2026 The departure announcement itself was not supplied as a separate source.

[4]

Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Komatsu said it was time for a change while maintaining that Ocon can produce high-level performances when circumstances align. That performance assessment is Komatsu’s opinion, not a measured result established by the article.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Komatsu’s assessment of the decision and Ocon’s ability Comments reported on 1 October 2026 Komatsu did not give a specific reason for the change in this passage.

[4]

Komatsu declined to discuss specifics and said Haas wanted to provide Ocon with the best possible environment for the remainder of the season. His remarks do not establish the undisclosed reasons for the split.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Reasons withheld and immediate team focus Remainder of the 2026 season The reason for the decision remains unspecified.

[4]

As an example of teamwork, Komatsu said Ocon promptly eased off in Baku to help Oliver Bearman gain overtake mode while Bearman was under pressure from Arvid Lindblad.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Komatsu’s account of Ocon’s conduct in Baku The Baku race preceding the 1 October 2026 comments This is Komatsu’s account of the incident; no race data or separate account was supplied.

[4]

Komatsu said Ocon had brought race-winning experience to Haas and that he was glad the team had signed him. He expressed a hope—not a result—that Ocon and Haas would finish the season strongly, with eight races remaining by his count.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Komatsu’s retrospective assessment and expectation Komatsu’s assessment of Ocon’s Haas tenure and the remaining 2026 races The hoped-for finish is prospective; the supplied article does not independently verify the remaining-race count.

[4]

Corrections and updates to this story

05 Oct 2026, 23:28

Nederlandse grammatica en maandnamen gecorrigeerd; de inhoudelijke berichtgeving is niet gewijzigd.

01 Oct 2026, 19:03

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

01 Oct 2026, 17:36

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

30 Sept 2026, 12:52

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.