Mid-Season Axe: Is Haas All Set To Dump Esteban Ocon?

Esteban Ocon might not survive the summer break. 

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A brutal new rumor is currently tearing through the Formula 1 paddock. According to a breaking update shared by the racing news account @MotorspoClicks on X, Haas is actively considering replacing Ocon midway through the current 2026 season.

The American outfit is reportedly looking at two specific drivers to fill the sudden vacancy. Jack Doohan and Yuki Tsunoda are both waiting in the wings to take over the car if Haas pulls the trigger. And if you look at the raw telemetry and recent race results, Gene Haas’s lack of patience makes perfect sense.

Ocon Dismantled by Bearman?

Haas signed Ocon to be a veteran anchor. He is a proven race winner who was supposed to lead the team’s engineering development. Instead, he is getting completely dismantled by his much younger teammate, Oliver Bearman.

Nov 22, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Haas F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon (31), left, and Haas F1 Team driver Oliver Bearman (87) arrive for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drivers parade at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The head-to-head statistics are frankly embarrassing for Ocon. During the Chinese Grand Prix, Bearman hauled his Haas into an incredible 5th-place finish to score 10 points. Ocon crossed the line in a dismal 14th.

The trend continued at the Australian Grand Prix. Bearman fought his way to 7th place and bagged 6 points. Ocon finished outside the points in 11th. And most recently in Miami, Bearman once again outpaced Ocon, finishing 11th while the Frenchman languished in 13th. Formula 1 is a ruthless business. You cannot let a sophomore driver routinely humiliate you in identical machinery and expect to keep your seat.

The Rafael Câmara 2027 Masterplan

Doohan or Tsunoda would bring immediate stability to the garage. But they might just be placeholders for an even bigger move. The paddock rumors indicate that Haas is closely monitoring the junior categories for their real endgame.

Depending entirely on how his current Formula 2 campaign plays out, Brazilian prospect Rafael Câmara is being lined up for the full-time Haas seat in 2027. Haas clearly wants fresh blood in the garage. If Ocon cannot find a way to beat Bearman in the upcoming European leg of the calendar, his Formula 1 career might come to a very abrupt end.

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