Ocon insists drivers are not the problem as Haas tests potential replacements

Esteban Ocon has firmly rejected the idea that driver error is behind Haas’s difficult 2025 Formula 1 season, insisting the team’s own technical staff share his assessment — despite the outfit running three potential replacements at Portimao just two weeks ago.

The Frenchman has been outqualified 12-6 by team-mate Oliver Bearman this season and trails him 18-3 in the championship standings, though Ocon points out that gap is largely explained by Bearman’s strong opening two rounds. Since the April break, Ocon has actually outscored the Briton 2-1.

The core issue, according to Ocon, is the VF-26’s unpredictable behaviour from one weekend to the next. He claims the car’s inconsistency has affected him in 10 of the 13 rounds so far, with Hungary serving as a rare reversal — the one race where Bearman encountered the same problems while Ocon was unaffected.

“This is something that we face so far this season,” Ocon said. “Myself, Ayao [Komatsu, team principal] and Ollie are very aware of that. When we got the cars to a healthy state where they can perform, we perform as drivers, as a side of the garage.”

Ocon acknowledged that aerodynamic upgrades introduced at Monza had not resolved the underlying problem, though he described them as “positive”. He added that Haas has strung together three consecutive Q2 appearances, which he views as evidence that he is extracting the maximum from the machinery available to him.

“I feel like I’ve extracted the maximum out of the car that I could, and there was nothing left on the table,” he said. “It’s not the result that we want. We, of course, need more performance to be fighting into the points. But it’s still a satisfaction to say, that was the car we had.”

The backdrop to Ocon’s comments is a growing threat to his seat. Haas recently tested reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, and Ferrari junior Rafael Camara in a former F1 car at Portimao — a clear signal that the team is actively evaluating its options for 2026.