Komatsu hopes for Haas driver decision by the end of September

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu hopes to decide on Esteban Ocon’s seat for 2027 by the end of September 2026. Technical feedback and teamwork, as well as speed, will factor into the decision.

GPBeat · Newsroom24 Sept 2026, 12:45 · 2 min

The decision is close, according to Komatsu, RacingNews365 reports on 24 September, citing a conversation with Sky Sports F1. The team principal puts speed first, but stresses that Haas also demands a great deal of technical feedback from its drivers. Both drivers must help determine the team’s development direction. Teamwork, commitment and work ethic are therefore important selection criteria for him.

RacingNews365 reports that Ocon himself has confirmed he is available on the driver market for 2027. The outlet considers his departure after this season likely. That does not, however, mean his departure from Haas is certain; a new agreement is not ruled out.

In his article, journalist Ian Parkes names Ferrari junior Rafael Camara as the leading contender to drive alongside Ollie Bearman next year. He points to Camara’s fight for the Formula 2 title and the technical ties between Haas and Ferrari. That status as favourite is RacingNews365’s assessment, not a choice confirmed by Komatsu.

According to the same publication, Haas has also evaluated Leonardo Fornaroli, Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa through the testing programme with older cars that it runs jointly with Toyota. No comparative test results are given. These evaluations therefore do not establish who best meets Komatsu’s criteria.

A final driver choice is not yet known. The end of September is Komatsu’s desired timeframe for making a decision, not a fixed date for a public announcement.

Source context

Based on a single RacingNews365 publication. The cited conversation with Sky Sports F1 has not been supplied; there is no independent confirmation of the candidates named.

Claims and supporting evidence 5

According to RacingNews365, citing Sky Sports F1, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu hopes to make a decision on a possible successor to Esteban Ocon for 2027 by the end of September 2026. He describes the decision as very close.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Expected timeframe for the driver decision. Statement quoted on 24 September 2026; the aim is to decide by the end of September 2026, for the 2027 season. This is Komatsu’s expectation, not a completed decision or a guaranteed announcement date. The article is by Ian Parkes; the original Sky conversation has not been read or listened to directly.

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According to RacingNews365, citing Komatsu’s conversation with Sky Sports F1, the team principal puts speed first, but also considers the quality of technical feedback, teamwork, commitment and work ethic important. He explains this by pointing to the substantial contribution Haas needs from both drivers in determining its development direction.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Sporting and development-focused selection criteria. Selection for 2027, discussed in the publication of 24 September 2026. These are the criteria stated by Komatsu. The source contains no comparative assessment showing which candidate best meets them.

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RacingNews365 reports that Ocon himself has confirmed he is available on the driver market for 2027. The outlet describes his departure from Haas after 2026 as likely, not certain. According to the article, whether he gets a race seat or a reserve role in 2027 remains an open question.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Ocon’s contract status and uncertain future. The end of the 2026 season and the 2027 season. The supplied text contains no direct quotation from Ocon about his contract status and no definitive departure or contract announcement. Being available on the driver market does not in itself rule out a new agreement with Haas.

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RacingNews365 names Ferrari junior Rafael Camara as the leading contender to drive alongside Ollie Bearman in 2027. The outlet cites his fight for the F2 title and the technical ties between Haas and Ferrari as factors working in his favour.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Leading contender named by RacingNews365. Candidacy described on 24 September 2026, for the 2027 season. His status as favourite and the explanation for it come from RacingNews365, not from the quoted remarks by Komatsu. The article provides no points standings, test results or named source for this assessment.

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According to RacingNews365, Haas has also evaluated Leonardo Fornaroli, Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa through its Testing of Previous Cars programme, which it runs jointly with Toyota. The article describes Fornaroli as the 2025 F2 champion, Doohan as the current Haas reserve and Hirakawa as a Toyota-backed driver, and names them as alternative options.

This finding from the source must be read within the stated scope and source context. Reported evaluations of other drivers. Evaluations reported on 24 September 2026; individual test dates are not given. The source provides no test times, comparison between the drivers or ranking. The fact that these drivers have tested does not prove that Haas has placed them on an official shortlist.

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