Steiner warns Ocon faces Haas exit unless form improves drastically

Guenther Steiner has predicted that Esteban Ocon will not see out the 2026 Formula 1 season with Haas, warning the Frenchman must “change something drastically” or face losing his seat. The former Haas team principal made the remarks after Ocon finished 14th at the Canadian Grand Prix, two or three laps down on the leaders.

“I think he’s gone by the end of the year. He’s not back next year,” Steiner said on The Red Flags Podcast. “If he doesn’t change something drastically, he will not be there next year.”

The comments arrive against a backdrop of reported tension at Haas, which current team principal Ayao Komatsu flatly denied during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Komatsu dismissed suggestions of a falling-out between himself and Ocon in Montreal, calling the reports baseless. “I honestly don’t know where the story came from, no idea. No foundation whatsoever, absolute bull****,” he said. Komatsu also denied any friction with Ocon at the Miami round, stating he had not had a single argument with the driver there.

Ocon joined Haas for 2025 alongside British rookie Oliver Bearman. Bearman outscored the Frenchman in their first season together, collecting 41 points to finish 13th in the drivers’ championship, while Ocon ended 15th with 38 points. The gap has widened sharply in 2026: Bearman has accumulated 18 points across the opening five rounds, whereas Ocon has managed just one.

The contrast in form between the two teammates has sharpened scrutiny on Ocon’s future at the American outfit. Haas has not publicly indicated any intention to replace him mid-season, and Komatsu’s strong rebuttal of the earlier reports suggests the team is reluctant to engage with speculation. Nevertheless, Steiner’s assessment — rooted in his own experience running the team — will add to the pressure on Ocon to deliver results in the coming rounds.