Haas end Ocon’s 2026 race programme as Camara gets Sao Paulo seat

Haas have ruled out a return to the team's Formula 1 race seat for Esteban Ocon for the rest of the 2026 season, BBC Sport reported on Tuesday. Brazilian rookie Rafael Camara will replace him at this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, bringing forward a race appearance for a driver already signed by the team for 2027.

Watch the highlights:

The announcement extends the decision Haas made during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, when Ocon was removed from the line-up after Friday practice. Japanese reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa took his place following the change on Saturday morning. Camara, rather than Hirakawa, has now been named for the next race, but Haas have not announced who will occupy the seat at the remaining rounds after Sao Paulo.

Team principal Ayao Komatsu said in a statement that Ocon had been informed he would not race for Haas again this season. He described both the initial decision in Mexico and the subsequent move as difficult, while saying the team believed they served its interests going forward. Komatsu also said the discussions between Haas and Ocon would remain private, offering no account of the closed-door conversations.

According to the BBC, Ocon's removal in Mexico followed a disagreement with race engineer Laura Mueller over tyre choice during second practice. Haas have not provided details explaining why they stood him down that weekend. In his own statement the following day, Ocon acknowledged that differing viewpoints had led to a discussion involving the parties concerned. The team's latest announcement confirms his exclusion without publicly resolving those differences.

Ocon has made 198 grand prix appearances since entering Formula 1 in 2016 and has one victory, the BBC reported. His immediate future now lies outside the Haas race line-up. The broadcaster also reported that he is seeking a reserve role as a route to remaining involved in the paddock, although no such appointment was announced in its report.

For Camara, the confirmed assignment is the Sao Paulo Grand Prix ahead of his planned 2027 campaign with Haas. The team has therefore settled its choice for this weekend while leaving its subsequent race selections unannounced. Ocon's position is clearer: Haas have said he will not compete for them again in the current championship.