- Haas F1 Team has officially confirmed that Esteban Ocon will not drive for the team again this season following an internal dispute at the Mexican Grand Prix.
- Ferrari Driver Academy prospect and Formula 2 championship leader Rafael Camara will make his early Formula 1 debut at his home race, the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa scored a point while filling in for Ocon in Mexico, and Haas may rotate between Camara and Hirakawa across the final three rounds of the year.
Haas Parts Ways with Esteban Ocon Ahead of Brazil
The Haas F1 Team has finalized its decision to dismiss Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the racing season. The move comes in the wake of escalating friction between the French driver and the American outfit, which reached a breaking point during a heated dispute at the Mexican Grand Prix. Following the altercation, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu chose to sideline Ocon ahead of Saturday’s running in Mexico City, a status that has now been made permanent for the rest of the campaign.
Addressing the abrupt driver lineup change, Komatsu confirmed that Oconāwho enters the upcoming year as a free agentāhas been completely removed from the cockpit. “We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season,”
Komatsu stated. “Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City – but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward. The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations.”
Rafael Camara Handed Surprise Home Debut in Sao Paulo
To fill the vacancy, Haas has called up Brazilian rookie Rafael Camara. While the Ferrari junior had initially been signed to replace Ocon on a full-time basis beginning in 2027, the current Formula 2 championship front-runner will now see his Formula 1 debut brought forward by several months. Camara will pilot the VF-26 at Interlagos alongside current Haas driver Ollie Bearman, officially receiving the green light on Tuesday afternoon after spending the previous race weekend on standby.
“Looking ahead, we’ve chosen Rafael Camara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix,”
Komatsu remarked regarding the decision. “Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafael’s capabilities and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and working with him through his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil.”
While Camara has yet to log track time in modern 2026-specification Formula 1 machinery, his preparation has been bolstered by five Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions throughout the season. These outings included four runs in Ferrariās SF-25 alongside an instrumental session in Portugal at Portimao driving the Haas VF-25, which firmly convinced the team’s leadership of his talent. Camaraās sudden elevation to a race seat has also reshuffled Ferrariās run plan; Swedish driver Dino Beganovic will take over the Maranello team’s car for Friday morning’s FP1 session, which was previously scheduled for Camara.
Seat Sharing Uncertain for Remaining 2026 Rounds
Before confirming Camara for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Haas called upon Toyota protege and reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa to step in for Ocon from Saturday onward at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Hirakawa capitalized on the opportunity by securing a 10th-place finish to score a championship point on debut. Looking beyond Brazil, Haas has not locked in its lineup for the concluding grands prix in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, leaving the door open to rotate driving duties between Camara and Hirakawa.
Why This Matters
The early termination of Esteban Ocon’s tenure marks an abrupt conclusion to his Haas career, leaving him searching for future opportunities on the driver market as an unattached free agent. For Haas and technical collaborator Toyota, the remaining events offer a live-competition proving ground to evaluate young talent. By expediting Rafael Camaraās progression directly from Formula 2, Haas accelerates its long-term driver development roadmap while balancing potential track time for Ryo Hirakawa as the squad looks toward its future engineering and sporting goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Esteban Ocon removed from Haas before the season ended?
Ocon was benched following an intense internal disagreement at the Mexican Grand Prix amid deteriorating relations with team management. Team principal Ayao Komatsu decided that parting ways immediately was firmly in the best interest of Haas moving forward.
Who will drive for Haas in the remaining races after Brazil?
While Rafael Camara is confirmed alongside Ollie Bearman for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Haas has not yet confirmed whether Camara or Mexican GP substitute Ryo Hirakawa will complete the final rounds in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, with a combination of both drivers considered likely.
How does this change affect Ferrari’s practice session plans?
Because Rafael Camara is stepping into a full race weekend role with Haas at Interlagos, Swedish driver Dino Beganovic will take over the Scuderia Ferrari seat previously assigned to Camara for Friday’s Free Practice 1 (FP1) session.
