Esteban Ocon’s future with Haas has taken an unexpected turn after the team removed him from the remaining sessions of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix.
The decision came just hours after Friday’s practice sessions, with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa announced as his replacement. Although Haas did not provide an official reason, reports have linked the decision to a possible confrontation between Ocon and team principal Ayao Komatsu.
French newspaper L’Équipe reported an altercation between the driver and Komatsu, with the possibility of a physical confrontation also raised. However, neither Haas nor the people involved have publicly confirmed that physical contact occurred.
The report also suggests that Ocon could miss the remaining races of the season, potentially bringing his Haas career to an earlier end than expected.
Esteban Ocon’s Radio Exchange With Haas Engineer Before Reported Confrontation
The situation reportedly developed after a tense exchange between Ocon and his race engineer, Laura Mueller, during Friday’s second practice session in Mexico.
The disagreement concerned a change to his tire strategy, as Haas wanted the Frenchman to switch from soft tires to medium tires for a longer run.
Ocon questioned the decision and made his frustration clear over team radio. After Mueller explained the change, the Frenchman replied, “No, no, I wanted the soft, like, don’t do that to me. Come on.”
Although the exchange concerned the team’s running plan, the reported incident with Komatsu appears to have taken the situation beyond a disagreement over strategy.
Haas subsequently announced that Hirakawa would replace Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City GP weekend. Japanese driver had already participated in FP1 as part of the team’s reserve-driver programme, but the team had originally planned for Ocon to return for the remaining sessions.
Ayao Komatsu Refuses to Explain Esteban Ocon’s Sudden Haas Replacement
During Saturday’s final practice session, Komatsu addressed Ocon’s unexpected absence but offered little information about the reason. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, the Haas team principal confirmed that the Frenchman was not ill.
“I can’t tell you much, but at least I can tell you that he’s not ill,” said Komatsu.
When asked whether the radio disagreement had contributed to the driver’s removal, he refused to discuss the matter further. Haas also provided no additional explanation in its announcement.
The development follows Ocon and Haas confirming on September 30 that they would part ways at the end of the 2026 season. Brazilian driver Rafael Câmara will take his place in 2027.
The latest report raises fresh doubts about whether Ocon will compete in the remaining four rounds. For now, Haas has not confirmed an early termination of his campaign, leaving his immediate future uncertain.
More F1 Reading
- Who Is Rafael Camara, the Haas Driver Tipped To Replace Esteban Ocon for Remaining 2026 F1 Races?
- ‘Demand More From Politicians’: Carlos Sainz Appeals for Unity as Train Tragedy Leaves 69 Dead in Spain
- ‘Shouldn’t Be Picking a Fight With Me’: Max Verstappen Doubles Down on Liam Lawson’s Seat Threat
- FIA Delivers Judgment on Isack Hadjar’s Pushing Incident With ‘Aggressive’ Fan
Comments
More in News
Who Is Rafael Camara, the Haas Driver Tipped To Replace Esteban Ocon for Remaining 2026 F1 Races?
‘Demand More From Politicians’: Carlos Sainz Appeals for Unity as Train Tragedy Leaves 69 Dead in Spain
‘Shouldn’t Be Picking a Fight With Me’: Max Verstappen Doubles Down on Liam Lawson’s Seat Threat
FIA Delivers Judgment on Isack Hadjar’s Pushing Incident With ‘Aggressive’ Fan
