Haas and Ocon to split at end of 2026 season

Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The team confirmed the split on 30 September in a statement titled "Team Statement: TGR Haas F1 Team and Esteban Ocon". It ends a partnership that only began last year. Haas F1 Team

Ocon confirmed the news himself after weeks of speculation over his future. The message from the Frenchman was blunt. Formula 1

"This is absolutely not the end of my Formula 1 career," the 30-year-old said. He has already declared himself a free agent from 2027 and said he is talking to other teams about staying on the grid. BBC Sport

Ocon joined Haas in 2025 on a multi-year contract to partner Oliver Bearman. He arrived as the experienced hand, having raced in Formula 1 since 2016 for Manor and Force India before taking his sole victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for Alpine.

The timing screens this season have favoured his younger teammate. Bearman sits 13th in the drivers' championship, three places and 13 points clear of Ocon. In qualifying, the Saturday shootout that sets the starting grid, Bearman leads 13-6 with an average advantage of 0.144 seconds.

That gap is familiar. Last year Bearman finished 13th to Ocon's 15th, separated by just three points, while winning their qualifying battle 18-7 by an average of 0.175 seconds.

What makes this stand out is the timing. Ocon spoke openly about his future on 23 September, telling reporters he was already in discussions elsewhere. Reuters A week later, the door at Haas closed.

For fans, this means one experienced race winner is on the market and one Haas seat is open. Ocon brings ten seasons of starts, sharp racecraft and a proven ability to seize a chaotic afternoon. Bearman stays. The question now is who joins him.