![\"Ocon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/XPB_1409721_HiRes.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEsteban Ocon has shut down talk he could be set for an early Haas exit. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEsteban Ocon has shut down talk he could be set for an early Haas exit. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
The Frenchman arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix facing widespread claims of a fallout with team principal Ayao Komatsu and even suggestions of a mid-season departure, with some reports even confusing Komatsu with Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa.<\/p>\n
When pressed about the rumours, Ocon wasted little time shutting the narrative down.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly\u2026 complete bullshit, to be honest. It\u2019s unbelievable!\u201d Ocon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were just talking with Ayao just now. The article I saw was calling him \u2018Ryo Komatsu\u2019, which is quite funny. And they were even saying that we had, like, a massive dispute in Miami.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is complete nonsense! Honestly, it\u2019s all fabricated and complete bullshit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocon, who is out of contract with the team at the end of the year, stressed that his relationship with Komatsu remains strong, pointing to their long-standing history as a key reason behind his move to Haas in the first place.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said, I came to this team for the reason that I know Ayao since so long. I\u2019ve got a great relationship with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s always been the case and there\u2019s nothing like what people have been saying going on.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s completely not true. I\u2019m fully focused on what I have to do, the job I have to do with the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fully on board with the team for the whole year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 2026 season has not started smoothly for Ocon, who has been outscored by team-mate Ollie Bearman across the opening rounds, but he rejected the idea that this has triggered any internal tension.<\/p>\n
Instead, he pointed to circumstance rather than performance as the primary factor behind the points gap.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s very clear, the reasons on why I\u2019m missing a lot of points compared to Ollie in the beginning of the season. The safety cars is the full-stop reason,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pace has been good, the work has been good.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a lot of different reasons I didn\u2019t score as many points as I should have, but the work that we are doing is decent and as long as this is happening, the results will come and that\u2019s the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite laughing off the original reports, Ocon admitted the scale of the speculation forced both him and the team to address it internally.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, I try not to pay attention to that too much, but that became so big for no reason that I had to get a bit involved into it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it\u2019s been relayed on all the shitty medias that are there on socials.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, yeah, it became so big that obviously you can\u2019t just not notice it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also made clear the wider impact such rumours can have beyond the paddock.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019m human, so it does affect in a way, it does affect my family, it does affect the sponsors that are obviously counting on me,\u201d Ocon added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd it\u2019s disappointing to see, you know, that you can make such damage to a reputation of a driver in two or three days, while there\u2019s nothing founded.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocon said he was looking forward to trying out new upgrades the team had brought to Canada this weekend that he hoped would help them bounce back after a difficult race in Miami three weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing what this is going to bring us and hopefully it\u2019s going to help us to get back into the top 10, because Miami was a little bit difficult for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
2026 F1 Canadian Grand Prix \u2013 Schedule, how to watch, TV times & more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n