June 3 team Alpine communicated via social media termination of the contract with the French pilot Esteban Ocon at the end of the season. The decision was already in the air after recent event in the Monaco Grand Prix where the driver not only ended his race on the second lap, but risked letting teammate Pierre Gasly end the race. Ocon has been in discussions with several teams this month in order to announce his next destination before the summer break. The Frenchman did not disappoint expectations, on the eve of the Belgian GP, the announcement arrived: Ocon's next adventure will be with Haas, alongside Oliver Bearman.
Esteban Ocon's future is with Haas
After 5 seasons Or with is ready for a new adventure, this time aboard a Haas. The American team had made it clear that it wanted to shortly announce its lineup for 2025. The first name made official was that of Oliver Bearman, the young Englishman inherited Nico Hulkenberg's seat as he left for Audi/Sauber. There was still some uncertainty about the second name. Magnussen would have liked to keep his place but the results were not satisfactory.
New Team Principal Ayao Komatsu wanted to make a big change to also underline the new direction of the American team, which is proceeding quickly in the championship. To refresh the squad, Komatsu has therefore chosen to always focus on experience, but with a driver who still has a lot to offer: Esteban Ocon. Ocon has only one career victory, in Hungary in 2021. The next three years with Alpine were not the best. He also thanks to an uncompetitive car and an overly heated rivalry with his teammate, Pierre Gasly.
The choice of Haas, considering the other options on the table, was the most inviting. Ocon signed a multi-year contract securing his job for at least another two years.
Komatsu's words
“I am delighted that we have secured the services of Esteban Ocon for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” said Komatsu. “Obviously I had been aware of his talent for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban's first race in a Formula 1 car: I was his race engineer that day with Lotus. He showed his talent at the time, having achieved excellent performances in the junior categories: he had just won the 3 European Formula 2014 championship.”
“Esteban has become an established talent in Formula 1 and, of course, a Grand Prix winner. The experience he brings, not only from his talent base but also from working for a team of producers, will be beneficial to us as we grow as an organization. It was crucial to have an experienced rider alongside Oliver Bearman next year, but Esteban is only 27, still young and has a lot to prove. I think we have a pair of hungry and dynamic drivers and I look forward to welcoming Esteban to the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for 2025.”
Ocon's words
“I am excited to start this new chapter in my Formula 1 career and join the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team from the start of the 2025 season,” said Esteban Ocon.
“I will be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic and undeniable upward trajectory have truly impressed me. I would like to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support, and for our honest and fruitful discussions over the past few months. On a more personal note, I am very happy to be working with Ayao again, as he was part of my debut when I first got into a Formula 1 car during my days at Lotus Junior more than ten years ago. The MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has exciting plans and clear goals for the future and I look forward to working with everyone at Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello and being part of this great project."
