Esteban Ocon and Haas: what is confirmed for 2027

Esteban Ocon’s departure from Haas has not been confirmed. As of September 30, 2026, the official position is that the team has yet to decide its driver line-up for the 2027 season. Ocon said he was free to negotiate, while Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu said a decision should follow in the coming weeks.

Has Ocon left Haas?

No. For now, there has been no announcement of a split or confirmation that Ocon will stay with the team. Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Frenchman said he was “definitely” free for the following year and explained that discussions with Haas were continuing. He also said every possibility he was considering remained within Formula 1.

His statement shows that there is no completed commitment for 2027, not that his departure is already settled. The interview published by Formula 1 also records Ocon saying he intended to focus on his performance while contractual matters were discussed.

What Haas has confirmed

On September 24, Komatsu said no decision had been made about Ocon. According to the team principal, Haas had completed its evaluation but still needed to summarize the findings, discuss them internally with Gene Haas and reach a final decision.

At the time, he estimated that an answer would come “within the next couple of weeks.” That was an approximate public timeline, not a scheduled announcement date. Any report presenting either a renewal or departure as certain before an official statement should therefore be treated as speculation. Circumstances may change, so the safest reference is the official report on Haas’s timeline.

Which criteria matter

Komatsu said Haas was looking first and foremost for natural speed. He added that the chosen driver would need to be a team player, integrate with the group and help motivate it—qualities he regarded as particularly important for a small team.

The same account stated that Leonardo Fornaroli, Rafael Camara and reserve drivers Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa had tested with Haas and been assessed in recent weeks. This shows that alternatives are under consideration, but it does not prove that any of them will replace Ocon. Oliver Bearman had not been officially confirmed either, although he said he believed he would remain.

The Baku result added context

The uncertainty continued after a notable performance by Ocon in Azerbaijan. He finished eighth, his best result of the season at that point, directly ahead of Bearman. The official Azerbaijan Grand Prix result awarded four points to Ocon and two to his teammate, giving Haas a double points finish.

After the race, Ocon praised the team’s decisions during the Grand Prix and reiterated his confidence in his ability. The post-race interview nevertheless makes clear that he still had no confirmed seat for 2027. A strong result can form part of the team’s evaluation, but the source does not say it determined his future.

Where the standings stood

After Baku, the official 2026 drivers’ standings placed Bearman 13th with 20 points and Ocon 16th with seven. Ocon had three points before the race; eighth place added four more.

Those numbers help explain the pressure surrounding the choice, but they do not replace a contractual decision. The objective conclusion remains unchanged: Ocon has not been announced as leaving Haas, nor has he been confirmed by the team for 2027. The outcome still depended on the internal process described by Komatsu.