Esteban Ocon to leave Haas at end of 2026 season

Esteban Ocon will leave Haas when the 2026 Formula 1 season ends, bringing his spell with the team to a close after two years. BBC Sport reported the announcement on Wednesday, with the 30-year-old Frenchman determined to continue racing in the championship despite uncertainty over his future.

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Ocon joined Haas in 2025 after racing for Alpine, where he won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. His Formula 1 career began in 2016 and has also included drives for Manor and Force India. His record includes one grand prix victory and four podium finishes.

In a social-media statement reported by the BBC, Ocon said he remained motivated and intended to keep pursuing a Formula 1 career. He also committed to working with Haas through the remaining races, concentrating on the next race weekend and extracting as much performance as possible from the car.

The BBC reported that team-mate Oliver Bearman stands 13th in the championship, three places and 13 points ahead of Ocon. Bearman also leads their qualifying comparison 13-6 this season. In 2025, the pair finished 13th and 15th respectively, with Bearman ahead by three points.

The announcement follows a stronger weekend for Ocon in Azerbaijan. According to Formula 1's official race coverage, he finished eighth in Baku, his best result of the season and only his third top-10 finish. He had qualified 14th after a yellow flag disrupted a session in which a place in the final qualifying segment had looked possible.

Ocon gained positions around the Safety Car restarts but lost a place to Arvid Lindblad at the finish, the gap between them just 0.03 seconds. Bearman finished ninth, giving Haas points from both cars. Ocon credited the team's decisions on its pit stop and the Safety Car for helping secure the result.

Autosport reported that Haas had not yet announced Ocon's replacement. Team principal Ayao Komatsu thanked him for his contribution since joining in 2025, highlighting his professionalism and commitment. The departure is confirmed, but the identity of his successor remains unresolved.