Just hours after Esteban Ocon was dropped by Haas for the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix, reactions poured in. Among them was Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis, who shared his thoughts.
This is undoubtedly the most unexpected news of the weekend in Mexico City. While spectators were expecting to quietly celebrate Sergio Pérez’s 300th Grand Prix start, or Kimi Antonelli’s likely title win, Haas made the difficult decision not to continue with Esteban Ocon , in the middle of the race weekend. Replaced by Ryo Hirakawa, who was present due to his participation in FP1 for the Mexican Grand Prix, the Frenchman saw one of his compatriots, Olivier Panis, react on social media.
“Firing Esteban Ocon, a talented, consistent driver and Grand Prix winner, is a real disgrace. They’re sacrificing sporting merit for political and commercial reasons. Don’t give up, kid, you’ll bounce back and they’ll regret it.”
In this instance, his permanent replacement at Haas, scheduled for the end of the year, is expected to be Brazilian Rafael Câmara. The 2024 FRECA champion and last year’s Formula 3 champion already seemed the most promising, and arguably the most deserving, to move up to Formula 1. That said, dismissing Esteban Ocon, who may not race again after this unexpected decision, appears drastic.
“I can’t tell you much, but I can confirm that he’s not ill,” confirmed Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, when questioned abruptly in the paddock. “ I’m sorry, I can’t go into details. Honestly, the only thing I can say is that we’re focused on what’s ahead and getting Ryo in the best possible condition for qualifying. I’m just concentrating on this session for now.”
While no decision has been officially announced yet, Haas’s initiative could indeed lead to the outright dismissal of its French driver. Frustrated in Free Practice 2 by what he perceived as an unfavorable tire change, Esteban Ocon had already been venting his frustration to the press for several weeks. Now, a new chapter begins for the American team, which is preparing to address a barrage of questions both before and after any potential official decision.
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