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Haas Sets Clear Timeline to Name Esteban Ocon’s Replacement
Highlights
- Haas to announce Esteban Ocon’s replacement within days.
- Ocon leaves Haas at end of the 2026 season.
- Rafael Camara is the leading contender for Haas seat.
- Team prioritizes speed, feedback, and teamwork in new driver.
- Haas tested Leonardo Fornaroli, Jack Doohan, and Ryo Hirakawa.
- Decision expected by month-end to finalize 2027 driver lineup.
Haas is set to confirm Esteban Ocon’s replacement within days, according to team principal Ayao Komatsu. The decision targets completion by month-end to lock the 2027 line-up alongside Oliver Bearman.
Ocon leaves Haas at the end of 2026 and enters the market as a free agent, as outlined in recent coverage. His replacement becomes a near-term strategic decision.
Komatsu expects to confirm Ocon’s successor within days, with the choice targeted by month-end.
Komatsu prioritizes outright speed but stresses robust feedback and teamwork. Haas wants a driver who shapes development, complements Bearman’s rookie season, and accelerates correlation between simulator, wind tunnel, and track.
The timing reflects competitive pressure. As teams emphasize finalizing driver line-ups early, it aids car direction, operational planning, and sponsor commitments after the 2026 technical reset.
Ferrari junior Rafael Camara currently leads Haas’s shortlist. His Formula 2 title challenge and the Haas–Ferrari technical alignment strengthen his case for immediate promotion.
Ferrari junior Rafael Camara is understood to be leading Haas’s shortlist.
Haas also evaluated alternatives through its Testing of Previous Cars programme with Toyota support, giving mileage to Leonardo Fornaroli, reserve Jack Doohan, and Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa.
TPC running offers controlled conditions to judge pace, feedback quality, and procedural discipline using older machinery. Those sessions inform correlation work and provide a direct comparison across candidates.
Haas’s TPC mileage with Fornaroli, Doohan and Hirakawa underpins the final shortlist.
Ocon’s next move remains uncertain. A race seat or a high-value reserve role for 2027 both remain possible as the driver market evolves.
Haas wants the decision made by month-end, aligning recruitment with winter planning and simulator work. Securing clarity early supports staffing, parts flow, and resource allocation across programmes.
Komatsu: speed first, but feedback and teamwork are non-negotiable.
The identity of Bearman’s teammate will shape Haas’s strategic balance between immediate points and long-term development. With an announcement imminent, attention turns to how effectively the newcomer integrates.
Visual Summary
Ocon
Decision
Imminent!
Imminent!
Camara
Ferrari Jr
Fornaroli
Doohan
Who Joins Bearman for 2027?
Haas seeks: Speed + Teamwork
🤝
Komatsu: “Speed, feedback & application matter most”
Days
Left
Left
Haas is about to make its crucial 2027 driver pick.
The field is set, the decision is nearly here.
The field is set, the decision is nearly here.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
