Nov.4 (GMM) Haas has confirmed Esteban Ocon will not return to his Formula 1 race seat this season, with Rafael Camara replacing him from this weekend’s Brazilian GP.
The announcement confirms what had been widely expected after Ocon was dropped during the Mexico weekend following a major breakdown in his relationship with the team.
“Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City – but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward,” said team boss Ayao Komatsu.
Komatsu again refused to explain exactly what happened behind closed doors, with Bild claiming Ocon aggressively grabbed his Japanese boss by the shoulder.
“The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations,” said Komatsu.
Camara, 21, will therefore make his Formula 1 debut at home in Sao Paulo alongside Oliver Bearman.
The Ferrari junior had already been announced as a full-time Haas driver for 2027.