Ocon dismisses F1 future doubts as Haas contract clock ticks toward summer deadline

Esteban Ocon has defiantly brushed aside questions about his Formula 1 future, telling reporters ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix that he does not “give a shit” about outside criticism as he focuses on resolving underlying car problems at Haas.

The 29-year-old finds himself in an increasingly precarious position heading into the summer. His contract expires at the end of 2026, and Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed in May that the team intends to finalise its 2027 driver line-up before the season break. With rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman sitting 11th in the championship on 18 points and Ocon languishing in 16th with just three, the pressure on the Frenchman is mounting.

“I’ve got the trust of the team. I’ve got the trust of Ayao,” Ocon said at the Red Bull Ring. “People can say whatever the fuck they want, to be honest, I don’t give a shit too much and I’m just wanting to do a good job for everyone.”

Ocon acknowledged that the past three or four races have been difficult for the whole Haas outfit, but maintained that his personal struggles are rooted in technical issues with the car rather than a drop in his own level. He pointed to braking problems with the VF-25 as the primary source of his difficulties in 2025, and suggested that various unresolved issues are similarly hampering him this year.

“We have bigger problems with the car at the moment than that,” he said. “So this is what we need to sort out first. If you sort out the car issues and get more performance out of it, everything will go easier, obviously.”

Bearman, by contrast, has carried the momentum of a strong finish to his debut 2025 campaign — in which he edged Ocon by three points — directly into the new season. The Briton is widely expected to retain his seat for 2027, meaning Ocon would need a significant turnaround in results to secure the second spot.

Despite the external noise, Ocon insisted his mindset remains stable. “I feel confident about everything,” he said. “When you look deep inside and know why I don’t have many points this year and all of these things, well, it gets more clear.”

With Komatsu’s self-imposed summer timeline approaching, Ocon has only a handful of races to make a compelling case for his place on the 2027 grid.