Esteban Ocon’s exit from Haas is now official. Image: XPB Images
As long-expected the Frenchman won’t continue with the US-owned squad beyond the end of the current campaign.
That was made official by Ocon himself in the lead-up to this weekend’s curiously-named Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, Malaysia.
“My time with Haas F1 Team will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season,” he wrote on social media.
“I leave this project with my head held high and proud of my performances in what were not always the easiest of circumstances for various reasons and factors outside of my control.
“My immediate focus is the next race weekend. I will continue to work hard with the team, maximise every opportunity, and keep extracting every bit of performance from the car.
“There are still many races to go this season and, as always, I will give it my everything behind the wheel for myself and for my team.
“I am still motivated. I am still hungry. This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career.”
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The split with Haas comes as little surprise given Ocon’s slot alongside Oliver Bearman has been in doubt for months.
The situation came to a head in Baku last week when Ocon admitted he was a free agent for next season, all but confirming his exit.
With it now formally confirmed, what is expected to be the only available seat on the F1 grid for next season is now up for grabs.
Australian Jack Doohan is known to be technically in the mix for the seat and recently completed TPC, otherwise known as testing of previous cars, with the Haas squad.
However all indications from the F1 paddock are that F2 points leader – and Ferrari junior – Rafael Camara is a shoe-in for the seat.
As for Ocon, there is now a significant question mark over his F1 career which started midway through the 2016 season with the now-defunct Manor squad.
From there it was a stop-start affair before Ocon landed a full-time seat with Renault in 2020, taking his sole GP win for what was by then rebranded as Alpine in Hungary in 2021.
He left Alpine at the end of 2024 to start what will end as a two-year stint at Haas.