May 18 (GMM) Fresh speculation about Esteban Ocon’s future at Haas erupted after Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli claimed the Frenchman may not even finish the 2026 season.
Ocon has already come under increasing scrutiny amid comparisons with his much younger teammate Oliver Bearman, who many inside the paddock now see as the clear lead driver of the American team.
There have also been recent rumours linking Yuki Tsunoda with Haas, while former Alpine driver Jack Doohan remains heavily connected to Toyota-backed opportunities inside the organisation.
Speaking on the UOL Esporte channel, Cerasoli claimed Haas boss Ayao Komatsu is unhappy with Ocon’s current level.
“Well, Komatsu doesn’t like Ocon – he doesn’t like him very much, and he’s not happy with the driver’s performance,” she said.
“I even heard that it was unclear whether Ocon would finish the season.”
“It was simply clear – Ocon’s situation was far from rosy.”
Separate reports then escalated speculation further by claiming the relationship between Ocon and Komatsu deteriorated significantly during the Miami weekend.
“The gap between Bearman and Ocon has widened this year, which is affecting the Frenchman’s position within the team,” Cerasoli was quoted as saying.
“The relationship between Ocon and Komatsu worsened during the Miami weekend.”
However, the journalist later moved to calm suggestions that she had reported a specific confrontation between the pair in Miami.
“To avoid misinterpretation, I’ll clarify that I was talking about Rafa Camara’s move to Haas in 2027 and that Komatsu had already publicly criticised Ocon,” Cerasoli wrote on social media.
“I heard nothing about any conflict between them at the Miami round and made no comment on it.”