Ocon says he would stay in F1 if no 2027 race seat opens

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If he cannot secure a 2027 F1 race seat, Esteban Ocon says he would take a third-driver role rather than race in another category. He wants to race in F1 for the next five to seven years.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · 08 Oct 2026, 15:13 · 1 min

If Esteban Ocon cannot secure a Formula 1 race seat for 2027, he says he would stay in the championship as a third driver rather than race in another category. He wants to race in F1 for the next five to seven years and says it is the only option he is considering in the near future.

Ocon and Haas confirmed in late September that they would part ways at the end of the 2026 season. Haas chose not to extend his two-year contract.

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds had also spoken of Ocon as a potential fit for the series. In an interview published on 7 October, Dodds said he thought Formula E would suit Ocon and speculated that Ocon's management might be considering a place there. Ocon says his own focus remains F1 for now.

A third-driver role would not be new for Ocon: he performed those duties at Mercedes in 2019 before joining Renault the following year.

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